In an epic clash over New York City’s escalating migrant crisis, mayoral candidates Eric Adams and Curtis Sliwa resorted to name-calling that might be more appropriate for a playground squabble than a political discourse.
“You are a con artist.” Adams charged.
In a retort that surely raised eyebrows, Sliwa shot back, “And you’re a carnival barker.”
Adams called Sliwa a “buffoon.”
Sliwa called Adams a “Swagger Man” with “no plan.”
Many left shaking their heads at the spectacle — amazed that Adams and Sliwa are the potential leaders of America’s largest city and tasked with addressing problems of great magnitude.
The New York Post reported multiple skirmishes near the mayoral residence on the Upper East Side as protests rage over the mayor’s immigrant housing initiatives.
Fueling the crisis are Democrat-pushed initiatives that invited an uptick in the number of undocumented migrants pouring into NYC.
The influx has negatively impacted crime, tourism and public services. Adams’s reportedly involves setting up make-shift housing camps in hotels, schools and Central Park. Adams, the mayor of a “sanctuary city,” blames Republicans for the crisis.
“We’ve seen more undocumented migrants in the last three months than we have in the last three years,” Adams stated, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Sliwa was quick to challenge Adams, suggesting he was merely playing politics with the issue. “This is about politics for you, not the people,” Sliwa said, pinpointing the flaw in Adams’s argument.
“We are going down to a rate of fiscal insolvency at the rate he’s spending our tax dollars,” Sliwa charged.
It’s noteworthy that while Adams seemed more interested in playing the blame game, Sliwa honed in on the broader societal implications of the crisis. Tackling the issue head-on, Sliwa opined, “It’s the taxpayers who are suffering.”
Sliwa vows to keep the pressure on Adams.
Republican lawmakers, led by Borough President Vito Fossella, have sued to stop the transformation of former Catholic schools into migrant housing centers, claiming the change would increase crime in those neighborhoods and that the generators running round the clock to power outdoor showers would pose a “nuisance.”
These verbal skirmishes might entertain some, but the real issue here is clear: NYC’s migrant crisis isn’t going away anytime soon.
The situation continues to escalate, and New Yorkers are left waiting for a leader who will rise above the fray, see the bigger picture and put forth a plan that not only addresses the immediate concerns but also safeguards the future of the city.
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