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The Democratic Party’s Shrinking Base: A Lesson in Consequences, Not Intentions

DAMON K JONES
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The Democratic Party’s Shrinking Base: A Lesson in Consequences, Not Intentions

For decades, Democrats have treated New York as political home turf—a state so firmly in their grip that the only question was by how many points they would win. But recent voter registration numbers tell a different story. Between 2020 and 2024, Democratic enrollment in New York dropped by about 4 percent statewide and 7 percent in New York City. Meanwhile, unaffiliated registrations rose by double digits, and independents now account for roughly a quarter of the state’s electorate.

At the national level, Democrats have lost more than two million registered voters since 2020. Republicans have gained. Independents are surging. These are not abstract statistics. They are outcomes—consequences of political choices and cultural neglect.

The Democratic Party is facing what analysts are calling a voter registration crisis. According to a recent New York Times report, Democrats lost ground to Republicans in all 30 states that track party affiliation between 2020 and 2024—amounting to a net swing of 4.5 million voters. For the first time since 2018, more new voters registered as Republicans than Democrats, a shift that is especially pronounced in battleground states like North Carolina, where Republicans erased nearly all of the Democratic registration advantage they once held. The erosion is not limited to geography; Democrats are losing with younger voters too. In 2018, nearly two-thirds of new registrants under 45 chose the Democratic Party, but by 2024 Republicans had become the outright majority. The gender gap compounds the problem: Republican strength among men now far outpaces the Democratic advantage with women, signaling a deep political hole that may take years for Democrats to climb out of.

Democrats today face a growing credibility crisis on the very issues that most concern voters. On crime and public safety, the gap between official statistics and lived reality is widening. Party leaders point to reports showing crime rates have dipped in some categories, yet residents in cities like Washington, D.C. and Chicago tell a different story. In D.C., homicides and carjackings spiked in 2023 and early 2024 to levels not seen in decades, leaving neighborhoods feeling abandoned and unsafe despite City Hall’s reassurances. In Chicago, murders may be down compared to the worst pandemic years, but the daily grind of robberies, car thefts, and organized retail crime still plagues ordinary residents. When Democrats insist “crime is down,” people on the ground hear empty words, because their streets, schools, and businesses do not feel safer. What they say is not complicated: they need help. And when government appears more focused on protecting ideology than protecting citizens, voters lose faith.

Read: Black Cities, Black Mayors, Same Broken Outcomes

On the economy, working- and middle-class families feel abandoned by policies that prioritize rhetoric over results. On immigration, the party’s inability to manage the border has cost them trust, even among their own mayors. On cultural battles, Democrats are divided: abortion remains a strength with most Americans, but transgender participation in girls’ sports is overwhelmingly unpopular—even among Democratic voters. Add to this the perception of weak, out-of-touch leadership, and the picture is clear: the party has traded governing competence for ideological symbolism, and voters are responding by walking away.

Democrats may comfort themselves by pointing to raw numbers: New York still has twice as many Democrats as Republicans. But that margin means less when turnout declines and independents grow. Political dominance is not a birthright—it must be earned continually.

When Black homeownership declines in cities like Mount Vernon, when working-class families flee the state because of crushing costs, when ideological experiments in bail reform compromise public safety—voters notice. And they act, not always by switching parties, but increasingly by leaving the Democratic column blank.

The story of New York’s shrinking Democratic registration is not one of betrayal but of accountability. People are no longer willing to sign their name to a party that does not deliver. This is the marketplace of ideas at work.

Read: Locked Out and Left Behind: How the Black Exodus is Draining Blue States of Power

If Democrats want to recover, they will have to do something they have long avoided: confront their failures, offer measurable solutions, and respect voters as adults capable of evaluating trade-offs. Until then, the slow bleed of registered Democrats will continue, and no amount of slogans will stop it.

In politics as in economics, results matter more than intentions. New York is proving that lesson once again.

References for Readers

  • Voter Registration Trends
    • ABC News 4. Democrats face voter registration crisis as party affiliations shift toward GOP. Link
    • The Guardian. The Democrats are in deep trouble in the US. August 25, 2025. Link
    • New York Post. Voters are dropping the Dems—but GOP hasn’t made the sale. August 24, 2025. Link
    • New York State Board of Elections. Enrollment by Party. February 2025. Link
  • Crime & Public Safety
    • AP News. Democrats acknowledge crime as major issue but struggle to find response. July 2025. Link
    • ABC News. Democrats see crime as a major problem. 2025. Link
    • Washington Post. Why crime feels high in D.C. despite statistical declines. 2024. Link
    • Chicago Tribune. Chicago crime statistics vs. neighborhood reality. 2024. Link
  • Abortion
    • Pew Research Center. Public Opinion on Abortion: Fact Sheet. June 2025. Link
    • Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). American Values Atlas: Abortion Views. 2023. Link
    • Good Authority. Democrats bet big on abortion rights in 2024. Voters had other priorities. 2024. Link
  • Transgender Participation in Sports
    • New York Post. NYT poll: Majority of Democrats oppose transgender athletes in women’s sports. January 2025. Link
    • Gallup. Two-thirds prefer birth sex for sports & IDs. June 2025. Link
  • Immigration
    • Gallup. Surge in concern over immigration abated; record-high support for immigration. July 2025. Link
    • Politico. Democrats tested immigration messaging in battleground districts. Here’s what they found. June 2025. Link
    • New York Post. Dems finally admit Biden botched border after 2024 election loss. November 2024. Link

AG Letitia James’s Appeals to Reinstate Trump’s 500 Mil Judgement

DAMON K JONES
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AG Letitia James’s Appeals to Reinstate Trump’s 500 Mil Judgement

The Constitution is not a suggestion. It is the law of the land. One of its clearest protections is found in the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits “excessive fines.” This safeguard was written to prevent government officials from turning financial punishment into a political weapon.

That is exactly what New York’s appellate court found when it struck down Attorney General Letitia James’s $500 million penalty against Donald Trump. The court did not erase the fraud finding — it agreed Trump had exaggerated asset values. But the judges also made an unavoidable point: there was no victim in the crime itself. No banks lost money. No insurance companies were defrauded. All were repaid, many with interest, and some even profited from the transactions.

In that light, the half-billion-dollar fine was not restitution. It was punishment for punishment’s sake, detached from any harm and therefore a violation of the Constitution’s ban on excessive fines. The penalty was unconstitutional because it bore no relation to damages or loss.

Read: New York Appeals Court Overturns $500 Million Penalty in Trump Fraud Case

Yet James is now appealing to the state’s highest court in an attempt to revive what the lower court has already declared unconstitutional. This is not the pursuit of justice. It is the pursuit of optics. By disregarding the very constitutional limits she swore to uphold, James turns law into a political weapon.

The danger is far larger than this one case. If government can impose devastating financial penalties where there is no victim and no loss, then the Constitution becomes meaningless. Today it is Trump. Tomorrow it could be any citizen who falls out of favor with those in power.

Yet her legal battles don’t stop there. The Department of Justice has now launched an investigation into James herself—probing whether she violated Donald Trump’s civil rights in pursuing the very case she now clings to. Federal prosecutors have subpoenaed her office, public records, and have even convened a grand jury. The investigation is unusually broad, also encompassing her separate case against the NRA and raising mortgage fraud allegations relating to her personal real estate transactions.

Read: The Heat Is On: Special Prosecutor Reportedly Seen Outside Letitia James’s Brooklyn Home

Adding to the political theater, Special Attorney Ed Martin—appointed to lead the probe—staged a bizarre, media-ready visit outside her Brooklyn home, and even called for her resignation in a letter—actions her legal team condemned as unprecedented, politically motivated, and potentially norm-breaking.

By doubling down on a fine declared unconstitutional and facing a sprawling DOJ inquiry, Letitia James’s appeal to “accountability” increasingly looks like a bid for political survival. In the end, her battle to reverse the courts risks eclipsing the very ideals of justice she claims to champion.

MAKING AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN HAS A COST — WHEN BIG PHARMA FUNDS THE REFEREES

DAMON K JONES
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MAKING AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN HAS A COST — WHEN BIG PHARMA FUNDS THE REFEREES

If you only watched this week’s Senate questioning of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., you might conclude the issue is straightforward: “anti-vaccine advocate versus science.” That is the prevailing narrative. However, the actual discussion concerns the influence over public health messaging in the United States—and the implications when those who interpret scientific evidence also receive funding, sponsorships, or recognition from the companies producing the products they evaluate.

At the center of the discussion is Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative (MAHA): dismissing the entire CDC vaccine advisory panel (ACIP), revising leadership, and emphasizing increased transparency after years of reported public mistrust. Critics argue he favored those skeptical of vaccines and caused confusion about COVID vaccine access; Kennedy responds that the prior system had issues related to conflicts of interest, employment transitions, and institutions that advised unconditional trust amid ongoing chronic disease rates.

This situation involves competing perspectives that are both valid and legitimate.

First, professional associations and public health organizations are expected to avoid undue influence; yet, someaccept corporate support, including from vaccine producers, and may not always clarify the potential implications. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that such funding comprises a small portion of total revenue and is not policy-driven. Nevertheless, the presence of corporate branding and events leads the public to suspect potential influence. This perception is significant and often referenced by multiple parties in the debate.

Second, decision-making processes are as important as outcomes. When HHS alters the wording of its recommendations, healthcare providers and insurers may adjust their actions accordingly. A policy change from “recommended” to “optional” could affect access for certain groups, including seniors, individuals with immunocompromised conditions, and parents. Any effort to reform advisory panels should include measures to maintain simple access, so affected groups are not inadvertently disadvantaged.

The hearing became particularly notable after a Wall Street Journal opinion piece by former CDC Director Susan Monarez, who stated she was encouraged to confirm ACIP recommendations in advance. Kennedy denied this account. Senators questioned him about politicizing scientific matters; he responded by raising concerns about systemic influence. Attention now turns to the upcoming ACIP meeting on child-vaccine schedules—a meeting that is now at the center of the discussion over public health governance.

This analysis does not address each claim about mRNA, mandates, or myocarditis. Instead, it offers practical considerations for the public, particularly Black Americans, among whom medical distrust is documented to be high:

  • Establish financial separation. Those who recommend policy for children or national vaccine schedules should publicly disclose a real-time donor list by amount and type on all guidelines. Ensuring transparency in financial contributions could clarify whether funding affects policy decisions.
  • Ensure consistent transparency. If MAHA retains the revised ACIP, release supporting documentation six weeks before decisions, require written, easily understandable explanations for votes, and require ongoing conflict disclosures for each member. Apply identical transparency expectations to organizations issuing alternative recommendations.
  • Guarantee access from the outset. Any federal modification affecting pharmacy or insurance coverage should include a clear requirement to preserve access to vaccines for those seeking them. Ensure availability is practical, not only theoretical.
  • Evaluate MAHA using measurable results. Publish quarterly updates on indicators such as infant mortality, obesity, diabetes, mental health access, food quality, and exposure to hazardous substances. If MAHA aims for substantive improvements, it should show tangible progress.

Risk-benefit discussions are likely to continue. However, public trust is also influenced by policy and cannot be restored solely through public statements. Trust can be enhanced by removing conflicting incentives, making datasets publicly accessible, and protecting individual choice in healthcare settings.

Kennedy initiated this debate. Congress elevated its profile. Pharmaceutical companies contribute significant funding. The public must evaluate the information presented. For “Make America Healthy Again” to achieve substantive reform, efforts should be thorough, equitable, and designed to maintain access to quality healthcare. Without these improvements, existing issues may persist despite changes in leadership or focus.

I do not support vaccines, especially any COVID vaccine. I believe that consuming a diet of whole foods, engaging in regular exercise, avoiding tobacco, and moderating or abstaining from alcohol can improve immunity and reduce the risk of chronic disease. In my view, approaching nutrition as preventive care is an effective strategy for health.

I do not support vaccines, especially any COVID vaccine. I believe that consuming a diet of whole foods, engaging in regular exercise, avoiding tobacco, and moderating or abstaining from alcohol can improve immunity and reduce the risk of chronic disease. In my view, approaching nutrition as preventive care is an effective strategy for health.

Sources

  • Wall Street Journal — Senate hearing recap; Monarez op-ed controversy.
  • Reuters — Document shows Kennedy naming seven new ACIP members; context of June removals.
  • CBS News — Hearing coverage; access and recommendation disputes; Monarez allegation and denial.
  • Daily Beast — Coverage of ACIP overhaul and Monarez op-ed (critical framing).
  • HHS Press Room — June 9 announcement removing 17 ACIP members.
  • Undark — AAP corporate funding context; AAP statement that ~4% revenue is corporate and not used for policy.
  • AAP — Corporate & Organizational Partners page (current donors, tiers).
  • AAP Pediatrics — Conflicts/industry guidance in pediatric settings.
  • Al Jazeera/PolitiFact — Fact-check compilation on hearing claims.
  • PBS — Video clip summary of the hearing..

Black America Missing in Tech: The Empty Chair at Trump’s Dinner

DAMON K JONES
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Black America Missing in Tech: The Empty Chair at Trump’s Dinner

At President Trump’s recent dinner with the titans of Silicon Valley, the future of the world economy was laid out in plain language. Apple announced $600 billion in U.S. investments. Google pledged $250 billion. Microsoft added seventy to eighty billion each year. The leaders of Nvidia, OpenAI, and others compared the AI boom to the Apollo program — ten times larger in scale. They spoke of jobs, data centers, semiconductors, and a technological transformation that will define the century. The White House pledged to back them, not fight them.

But amid all the talk of trillions in capital and the race to dominate artificial intelligence, it became clear: Black America is poised for a breakthrough, if we claim our seat at the table. Our presence and leadership are not just overdue—they are the next step forward.

Black Americans are thirteen percent of the U.S. population but only five to eight percent of the tech workforce. Less than two percent of tech companies are Black-owned. Only three percent of executives in Silicon Valley are Black. Yet, we spend $ 1.7 trillion annually as consumers, including $39 billion on tech products, with little to no ownership in emerging technologies.

The contrast is stark. At the dinner, the world’s richest companies celebrated policies and investments that will keep America on top. For Black America, unless we become owners, builders, or leaders in this revolution, we will remain spectators.

This matters because technology is not neutral. Artificial intelligence will decide who gets hired, who receives loans, who is approved for housing, and who is targeted for surveillance. The rules will be written by those who build the systems. If Black America is absent from ownership and decision-making, we will have no say in how these tools shape our communities.

We cannot keep blaming racism if we don’t train for the tech market. Every Black person owns a cellphone or computer, but no Black-owned company makes them. As the U.S. advances in artificial intelligence, we risk being left behind again. When that happens, leaders without solutions will blame racism to hide their failure to prepare us.

The empty seat at that dinner is a warning. No tech giant will give us a seat; it’s our job to claim a future by shifting from consumption to production, from talking equity to building equity. More Black tech ownership, startups, and leadership are needed—or promises of opportunity will pass us by.

That is why it is time for Black leaders to act decisively and lay out a concrete, actionable plan for Black America. Marches and slogans will not solve these challenges. The future will be won by those who build, own, and control the technologies shaping the next century. We must equip the next generation with the necessary skills, capital, and ownership opportunities to secure our stake. The moment to act is now—our future depends on our action, not just our awareness.

Trump’s dinner revealed what’s at stake: global dominance in AI backed by billions from tech giants. The question remains—will Black America stay consumers, or become owners? History warns that delays come at a cost we may not recover from

Pandering to Voters with $400 Checks Won’t Fix New York’s Real Problem

DAMON K JONES
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Pandering to Voters with $400 Checks Won’t Fix New York’s Real Problem

$400 Checks Won’t Fix New York’s Real Problem

Let’s cut through the noise. New York politicians are patting themselves on the back for sending out “inflation refund checks.” Two hundred here, four hundred there. Meanwhile, the state is staring at a $10.5 billion budget deficit, with billions more projected in the years ahead. At the same time, New York’s Corrections Department just blew $445 million on overtime pay — a glaring example of mismanagement that wastes taxpayer dollars while families struggle to keep their homes. That’s not leadership — that’s bad management dressed up as generosity.

Read: Job Too Dangerous: State Spends $445 Million on Overtime and National Guard in Jail

Political Pandering 101

This is classic political pandering. Albany knows people are hurting, so instead of fixing the reason why — overtaxation, runaway spending, broken priorities — they hand out a small check and hope you’ll say thank you at the ballot box. It’s an old trick: make people feel like they’re “getting something” while ignoring the bigger hole they dug in the first place.

How Black Communities Get Played

And let’s be honest: this has been the modus operandi of New York politics toward Black people for decades. We’ve been conditioned to believe that government “cares” when it gives us something — a rebate check, a temporary program, a ribbon-cutting photo op. But when you look at the outcomes, it’s really nothing.

Because while the checks are cashed, our communities are still stuck with the same problems:

  • High crime rates because public safety is managed, not solved.
  • Lack of Black-owned businesses because there’s no push for economic independence, just dependency.
  • Underfunded schools, because funding is tied to property taxes, we can barely afford.

And here’s the most brutal truth: Black homeowners suffer the most under New York’s property tax system. We fought hard to achieve homeownership despite facing redlining, discrimination, and rising costs. But those victories are hollow if property taxes strip the wealth right back out of our communities. Too many Black seniors are forced to sell their homes just to survive. Too many families can’t pass property down to the next generation because the tax bill eats them alive.

That $400 refund doesn’t even scratch the surface of that loss.

The Real Weight on New Yorkers

A $400 check doesn’t mean anything when families in places like Westchester are paying $13,000 to $20,000 every year in property taxes. That’s the real backbreaker. You can’t budget your way to affordability when the state treats homeowners like ATMs. And you can’t build long-term stability when your leaders spend more energy on gimmicks than on fixing the system that drives people out of New York in the first place.

The Bottom Line

New Yorkers are overtaxed, underserved, and misled. And the sad part is, as long as politicians can buy headlines with refund checks, they assume you’ll keep voting for them. For Black communities, it’s even worse: we’ve been conditioned to clap for crumbs while carrying the heaviest tax burden — watching our wealth drained, our homes lost, and our neighborhoods decline.

The question is: when do we break the cycle and demand policies that fix the problems instead of checks that paper them over?

What Real Help Looks Like

If Hochul really wanted to help, here’s what she’d be talking about:

  • End or cap property taxes for seniors so they’re not taxed out of their homes.
  • Fund schools through the state budget instead of tying them to local property values. That way Mount Vernon and Yonkers don’t keep falling behind while wealthy suburbs thrive.
  • Circuit breaker rules so your property taxes never take more than a set share of your income.
  • Shift away from property taxes altogether, spreading the tax burden fairly instead of punishing homeowners.

That’s real reform. That’s the kind of change that actually keeps families in their homes.

References

Job Too Dangerous: State Spends $445 Million on Overtime and National Guard in Jails

DAMON K JONES
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Job Too Dangerous: State Spends $445 Million on Overtime and National Guard in Jails

The prison staffing crisis in New York is not just a budget issue or labor dispute—it is a failure of state leadership. By ceding authority in its prisons, the state sets the stage for disorder and weakened control.

Authority and Responsibility Go Hand in Hand

A government cannot ensure order if it lacks the will to enforce rules in its own prisons. When correctional facilities are so short-staffed that county jails house state-sentenced inmates indefinitely, or when the state lowers hiring standards from 21 to 18 out of desperation, the message is clear: control has been lost.

As someone who served 33 years in the Department of Corrections, I can say with certainty: lowering the age to 18 is a grave mistake. At 18, a person has not yet developed the maturity or judgment needed to navigate an environment this volatile. To put teenagers in charge of monitoring grown men with violent histories is not reform—it is reckless.

Authority, once surrendered, is rarely regained without consequences. The inmates notice. The staff notice. And so does the public.

The Hidden Cost of Political Evasion

Instead of fixing root causes, Albany evades responsibility. Overtime spending, reaching $445 million, only hides the problem, breeding exhaustion and corruption. Forced overtime threatens safety and stability.

Worse still, the National Guard was pressed into service to plug staffing gaps, only to have one of its members arrested for smuggling contraband into a prison. This is not simply a breach of ethics; it is the inevitable consequence of patchwork solutions that prioritize appearance over competence.

Abuse Born of Mismanagement

Abuse results from a mismanaged, poorly overseen system. Understaffed prisons become breeding grounds for misconduct. Overworked and undirected officers make mistakes. The problem is systemic, not individual.

And now comes the cruel twist: the HALT Act, New York’s solitary confinement reform, has deepened that crisis. By sharply limiting segregation—a primary tool for keeping violent inmates separated—Albany has stripped officers of a vital means for maintaining order.

Here’s the fact: What do you do with a violent inmate who rapes, assaults, or stabs another inmate, officer, or civilian staff member? Do you keep him within the general population alongside those serving their sentences peacefully and seeking rehabilitation—or do you separate him? Common sense demands separation. But under the new law, that is no longer allowed.

The results speak for themselves: nearly 2,000 correction officers have walked away from the job in recent months, choosing their lives and their families over a workplace that feels more like a war zone. Many said plainly—they would rather be alive than serve in a system that values political optics over their safety. Conditions are so severe that in some facilities, one officer is left to monitor up to 120 inmates. No other law enforcement agency in America operates under conditions like those of correction officers, and since these hard-working officers are not in the public eye , it has become a politician’s little dirty secret. 

The hypocrisy of Governor Kathy Hochul cannot be ignored. She has no problem deploying the National Guard to do the job of correction officers because of the state’s severe staffing shortages, yet she openly chastised President Trump when he used the National Guard to curb crime and violence in Black communities in DC. When the Guard is sent into prisons to perform the duties of correction officers, Hochul calls it “necessary.” But when it was used to protect residents trapped in violent neighborhoods, she called it “authoritarian.” The double standard is clear: political convenience, not public safety, drives her decisions.

When You Lose Authority Inside, You Lose It Outside

Prisons mirror society. If the state cannot maintain order within its prisons, citizens lose confidence in its authority. Compromised standards erode both moral and legal authority at a steep cost.

The Lessons Ignored

This is not about whether prisons are “too tough” or “too lenient.” The issue is whether they function at all. A prison that cannot control its own population ceases to be a prison—it becomes a holding pen, one step away from chaos.

The lesson should be simple: The state must address underlying staffing issues, restore meaningful oversight, and equip correctional officers with effective tools to maintain order. Only real solutions—not temporary fixes or lowered standards—will restore authority, safety, and public trust.

  • You cannot outsource discipline to temporary fixes.
  • You cannot trade long-term authority for short-term political convenience.
  • You cannot ignore oversight without inviting abuse.
  • And you cannot strip officers of the tools they need to maintain order without driving them out of the system entirely.

New York’s failure to address these truths has created a prison system patched together by overtime and temporary fixes. This is not reform, but a gradual collapse of authority. Restoring lost authority will be far costlier than maintaining it.

Black Cities, Black Mayors, Same Broken Outcomes

DAMON K JONES
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Black Cities, Black Mayors, Same Broken Outcomes


This Labor Day weekend in Chicago, at least 52 people were shot, and seven were killed. Three separate mass shootings took place in Humboldt Park and Bronzeville. Parents buried children, teenagers fought for their lives in hospital beds, and families feared stepping outside. Yet the response from City Hall sounded more like a campaign rally than a plan for public safety.

Mayor Brandon Johnson took the stage and declared, “No troops in Chicago. No militarized force in Chicago.” He spoke at length about the labor movement, wages, paid leave, and resisting Trump. What he did not do was squarely address the blood on Chicago’s streets. The truth is that these problems were here long before Trump. They are not the creation of any one administration in Washington. They are the predictable outcome of failed leadership, year after year, decade after decade, in city after city.

Too many leaders replace results with rhetoric. Instead of facing the harsh truth—that violent crime is tearing apart Black communities—they shift to safer political topics. Wages, democracy, labor rights, and Washington are the focus. But good intentions don’t stop bullets. What truly matters are outcomes. If a child can’t ride a bike without dodging gunfire, no speech about democracy or wages counts.

Having sat with families who lost loved ones to crime and violence, I have witnessed the cycle repeat every summer. Another young life lost. Another mother’s tears. Another march. Another rally. Black politicians appear in dashiki shirts and Black Lives Matter gear, but once the cameras leave, nothing changes. Thomas Sowell warned us long ago: “There are no solutions, only trade-offs.” The trade-off here is clear. Cities can either keep focusing on ideology while crime worsens, or they can face tough decisions about policing, accountability, and community standards that can save lives.

For decades, the promise was that electing Black officials would bring change. Yet, in city after city, the results tell a different story. Baltimore has had decades of Black mayors and still ranks among the nation’s highest in murder rates. New Orleans had the highest per-capita murder rate in 2022, while leadership downplayed violent crime. St. Louis has been hollowed out by violence while leaders argued about defunding police. In Chicago, the National Guard is rejected, while residents in Bronzeville beg for safety. It’s not the race of the mayor that matters. It’s whether the mayor delivers results. Too often, Black leaders have adopted the same failing playbook: dependency policies, vague promises, and distraction from the very crises their people face.

You can even see this on the African American Mayors Association’s own website. Their Public Safety and Police Accountability Committee says it is responsible for developing “policy positions on crime prevention, gun control, corrections, reentry, substance abuse, juvenile justice, and police oversight and accountability.” Sounds impressive. But notice what’s missing. Nowhere does it mention restoring police presence in neighborhoods plagued by daily shootings. Nowhere does it mention ensuring that enough officers are on the ground to keep families safe. Instead, it reads like a press release designed for panels and conferences, not for the streets of Bronzeville, Baltimore, or New Orleans. While families bury their children, committees draft talking points. While bullets fly, they debate “reentry.” While mothers weep, they issue statements on “accountability.” But accountability without results is just another slogan.

For decades, we were told that electing Black officials would bring change. However, in city after city, the results tell a different story. Consider homicide rates per 100,000 residents in major Black-led cities (as of mid-2025 projections):

  • St. Louis: 69.4
  • Baltimore: 51.1
  • New Orleans: 40.6
  • Detroit: 39.7
  • Chicago: 24.0  

Baltimore, for all its recent progress, still recorded 201 homicides in 2024, down from previous years—but still a staggering number. New Orleans’s homicide rate remains among the highest in the nation. Chicago is far from out of crisis, despite recent reductions: in 2024, there were 581 homicides (21.4 per 100,000), down from 805 in 2021, but these numbers still represent hundreds of grieving families.

Just as with Section 8 housing or welfare dependency, crime policy in Black cities too often manages failure instead of solving it. More programs, more slogans, more marches—all while criminals operate unchecked. Residents are told to “be patient” while leaders blame outside forces. But patience provides no comfort to the grandmother who lost her grandson to crossfire. No comfort to the mother whose teenager was gunned down walking home.

The truth isn’t complicated. Law enforcement presence needs to be restored. Too many city police departments are short-staffed, and officers are spread thin, working excessive overtime. Communities require enough officers on the ground—well-trained, well-supported, and fully staffed—to prevent crime and respond quickly. Accountability is also important. Leaders must answer for results, not just words. If crime increases under their watch, they must step down.

And let me share this from personal experience. As someone who has lobbied in many city, county, and state positions in New York for law enforcement leadership candidates, it has become painfully clear that too many decision-makers do not want someone who will change the culture. They do not want someone who will work with communities, hold officers accountable for training and performance, and actually reduce crime. What they prefer instead is leadership that manages the problem, not fixes it. Or worse—political appointees with no experience at all, chosen because they fit an ethnic profile or because they’re connected to an organization that can deliver political brownie points come election time. That is not public safety leadership. That is politics. And people die while politicians play these games.

If leaders cannot protect their people from being shot, then what exactly are they protecting? Democracy is meaningless if the people themselves are not safe. Livable wages mean little if workers can’t get home alive. We are told that rejecting federal troops is about defending Chicago’s humanity. But humanity is already under attack—not from Washington, but from the shooters terrorizing Black neighborhoods night after night.

The crisis in Chicago is not isolated. It reflects failures across the nation in Black-led cities. Until leaders are judged not by the color of their skin or the passion of their speeches, but by the safety and prosperity of their communities, nothing will change. Black America deserves better than endless injustice, vigils, and empty slogans. We need leaders who prioritize outcomes over ideology, results over rhetoric, and safety over political theater. Until then, the cycle will persist: more speeches, more funerals, and more promises left unfulfilled.

Black elected officials can’t cry racism from the White House when crime and violence have existed in their communities long before Trump was president. It shouldn’t take the President to point this out. But it was never a secret—the funeral homes testify to the dysfunction. Instead of facing it and making changes, it’s always been easier to blame the white man, racism, or a Republican. But now the emperor has no clothes, and they’re all naked, trying to defend high crime in their districts.

References

  • Chicago Labor Day shootings (2024–2025):
    “Chicago shootings: At least 53 shot, 7 killed over Labor Day weekend.” ABC 7 Chicago, September 2025.
    Link
  • Chicago homicides:
    “Crime in Chicago.” Wikipedia, updated 2025. Data from Chicago Police Department and city records.
    Link
  • Baltimore homicides:
    “Crime in Baltimore.” Wikipedia, updated 2025. Data from Baltimore Police Department and city records.
    Link
  • National homicide rate comparisons (per 100,000 residents):
    “The good news about murder.” Washington Post, July 31, 2025 (citing FBI Uniform Crime Reports and city-level data).
    Link
  • Most dangerous cities list (including New Orleans, St. Louis, Detroit):
    “Most Dangerous Cities in America.” Security.org, 2024. Based on FBI and CDC data.
    Link
  • African American Mayors Association – Public Safety Committee description:
    African American Mayors Association, “Public Safety and Police Accountability Committee.”
    AAMA Website

OP-ED: Highlighting the Important Work of Mayor Patterson-Howard By: Dennis Richmond, Jr., M.S.Ed.

Dennis Richmond Jr
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OP-ED: Highlighting the Important Work of Mayor Patterson-Howard By: Dennis Richmond, Jr., M.S.Ed.

Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard is the Mayor of Mount Vernon, NY. She’s a woman who cares about helping others, doing what’s right, and always showing up for those in need. Despite many media outlets trying to muddy the waters with false narratives about her, it’s important that we look at many of the things that she’s done throughout her political career and stick to the facts. Here are just a small few.

From the beginning of her tenure, Mayor Patterson-Howard made public safety and accountability central priorities. In 2020, she launched the Mount Vernon Police Reform Commission, bringing together community voices to ensure fairer and more transparent policing. This was not just symbolic—it was the start of long-overdue change in how Mount Vernon approaches law enforcement. In fact, after the Department of Justice found unconstitutional strip-search practices within the Police Department, the Mayor stood firm, removed problematic staff, and committed to real reform.

Infrastructure is another area where she has delivered. For decades, Mount Vernon residents suffered with broken sewer lines and outdated systems. Mayor Patterson-Howard secured $6 million in state funding for immediate upgrades and helped bring a historic $150 million state investment to overhaul the city’s water and sewer infrastructure. These wins protect public health and will improve the quality of life for generations to come.

She has also fought for recreation and community spaces. In 2022, she and Westchester County Executive George Latimer proudly reopened the Memorial Field complex. Once a symbol of neglect, the new 3,900-seat stadium now boasts tennis courts, a skate park, and a state-of-the-art track. On top of that, she helped secure more than $3.1 million in state grants—funding that will not only renovate the Doles Recreation Center but also provide lifesaving equipment for the city’s Fire and Police Departments.

Safety is always at the forefront of her leadership. Mayor Patterson-Howard introduced a business camera program and distributed hundreds of free security cameras to residents, empowering the community to take part in protecting neighborhoods. These initiatives have worked hand-in-hand with law enforcement, contributing to a 14 percent decrease in violent crime and the removal of more than 100 illegal guns from our streets.

But Mayor Patterson-Howard’s impact is not only in policies and programs—it’s in her vision. From the beginning, she laid out a comprehensive plan for Mount Vernon that included better roads, stronger mental health and homelessness services, and a Civilian Police Review Board. Every year since, she has returned to that vision, checking off promises one by one.

The truth is clear: Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard is not just managing Mount Vernon—she is transforming it. Her work has brought in millions of dollars, rebuilt cherished community spaces, reduced crime, and restored a sense of accountability in local government. Leadership like this deserves recognition, not criticism.

Mount Vernon is stronger today because of Mayor Patterson-Howard’s tireless efforts. That’s tea, and it’s worth spilling.

Yonkers Native Dennis Richmond, Jr. Continues To Teach Our Young Scholars

AJ Woodson
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Yonkers Native Dennis Richmond, Jr. Continues To Teach Our Young Scholars

30-year-old Yonkers native, historian, advocate for education, and author of He Spoke At My School, Dennis Richmond, Jr., M.S.Ed., commenced instructing scholars in Mount Vernon for the upcoming academic year. Mr. Richmond is in his third year of teaching at Mount Vernon, where his love of history, literature, and writing continues to motivate students. He starts the 2025-2026 school year as the new Middle School English Teacher at Amani Public Charter School.

“I love teaching,” Richmond shared with Black Westchester. “In my opinion, it’s the best career in the world.”

Richmond has taken great delight in three main areas throughout his career: his ability to relate to academics, his enthusiasm for his work, and his close ties to his family. In addition to the students he personally instructs, he feels that the scholars he has the biggest influence on are those whose families he interacts with outside of the classroom.

“When I say family, it doesn’t have to be two parents—and it doesn’t have to be parents at all,” Richmond explained. “Family might be a grandfather, an aunt, or an older sibling. When a teacher connects with someone who is important to a child, it makes for a stronger learning experience. It truly does take a village to raise a child.”

Born February 11, 1995, Richmond has a long history with the kids of Mount Vernon. He assisted in guiding kids through the college application process in his early 20s while working with the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau’s S.T.R.O.N.G. program. He is the Founder of The New York-New Jersey HBCU Initiative and has been recognized for his contributions to education and his commitment to empowering young minds. He specifically encouraged pupils to apply to HBCUs. He earned the tagline “beating the drum for HBCUs” from Patricia H. Koger, a professor at Claflin University, for his support of HBCUs.

Today, Richmond’s presence in the classroom carries added weight. According to the National Teacher and Principal Survey (2020-2021), Black men accounted for 1.3% of all public school teachers. This percentage represents a significant decline from previous years, such as the 2017–2018 school year, when Black men made up 6.5% of teachers.

While Black men make up less than 2% of teachers, they represent a larger portion of the U.S. population and student body, indicating an imbalance in the teaching force. Diverse teachers are important for students of color, especially Black boys, who may benefit from educators who understand and can relate to their experiences, according to the National Education Association (NEA). 

Research shows that American students are far more diverse than their teachers. While public school enrollment is nearing a majority-minority status, the teaching workforce remains predominantly white. For Richmond, that data reinforces the importance of representation.

“Scholars need to see brothers in front of them teaching,” Richmond tells Black Westchester. “Especially in New York.”

Richmond is still dedicated to the classroom, even if he currently has no aspirations to enter the administrative field as an assistant principal, dean, or principal. He views teaching as a career rather than just a job.

Uncle Nearest Teaches a Black Business Lesson

DAMON K JONES
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Uncle Nearest Teaches a Black Business Lesson

When Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey burst onto the scene, it was more than just another brand. It was a victory for culture, for history, and for business. Built on the legacy of Nathan “Nearest” Green, the man who taught Jack Daniel how to distill whiskey, the company quickly became one of the most awarded in America, drawing worldwide attention. It showed us that Black excellence could not only enter the marketplace but dominate it. Yet today, the brand is making headlines for a different reason. A federal lawsuit accuses Uncle Nearest of defaulting on more than $100 million in loans, and a judge has placed it under receivership, stripping the founders of control.

The lesson for Black America is clear. We are fighting for more Black businesses, but if we do not have the right mindset, our victories will be short-lived. Growth must always be matched with financial discipline. Scaling too fast on debt may bring headlines and rapid expansion, but it leaves ownership at the mercy of lenders who can swoop in and take control when the numbers fall short. Black entrepreneurs must strike a balance between ambition and the discipline required to grow sustainably.

Transparency is another critical lesson. Allegations of missing business reports and misrepresented collateral—whether true or not—were enough to damage credibility. For a Black-owned business that carries cultural weight, even the perception of mismanagement can undo years of progress. We must understand that transparency in reporting, finances, and governance is not optional; it is a shield that protects both brand and legacy.

Another truth this story reveals is that the mission must be protected separately from the business. Uncle Nearest was not only about whiskey; it was about restoring a stolen history and giving descendants of Nearest Green their rightful recognition. Yet because the business and mission were tied so closely together, when the company stumbled, the foundation and legacy were put at risk. Black businesses must structure their ventures to ensure that community promises and cultural missions are safeguarded, even in the face of turbulence.

And perhaps the hardest lesson of all is about control. The founders of Uncle Nearest built a globally respected company, but the courts now decide its future. That is the cost of contracts that give lenders leverage to remove owners. Black entrepreneurs must learn to fiercely guard ownership, reading every line of every deal, negotiating terms that protect autonomy, and refusing to hand over the keys to the very businesses we fight so hard to build.

Community support remains powerful, as seen in the “Clear the Shelves” campaign, where loyal customers rallied behind the brand. But love and loyalty cannot override legal agreements. Community support must be paired with robust business systems, effective governance, and foresight, so that it serves as reinforcement rather than a last line of defense.

The story of Uncle Nearest demonstrates that we can craft world-class brands that are rooted in our culture and history. But it also warns that ownership without discipline is fragile, and a mission without protection is vulnerable. If we truly want to build lasting Black businesses, we must move from symbolism to systems, from ambition to accountability, and from short-term pride to long-term sustainability. The dream is not just to launch Black businesses—it is to keep them in Black hands for generations to come.

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