
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?


Comments: (14)
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By: Mrs. DMS on 10/19/2010 1:39PM
Hotdog! He gets my VOTE!!!! The rent is TOO Dayum high, and if you got a house, you can hardly keep it! Folk who work hard, 3 jobs sometimes at as time and still don't have much money, not living above their means, SOMETHING'S FOUL FOLKS!!!
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By: ARNEADER on 10/20/2010 4:15PM
I wouldn't vote for him but he certainly needs a community service position. He's passionate about the community. Come on NY find a job for him to do.
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By: moonbeam on 10/19/2010 6:43PM
he also gets my vote. we working class cant afford the luxeries some folks enjoy. with the greedy landlords, who dont give a damn. yes 3 jobs and u still cant makeit. and if you have kids forget it. YES RENT IS TOO DAMN HIGH. even Andrew Cuomo agrees but i do believe he aint got to worry about being homeless. or worry about as a senior how to pay rent utilities, and food and medications.we need to go back to nature and to heck with all these meds where tie side affects are worse than the cure,and will eventually kill you
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By: MigThor on 10/20/2010 6:43AM
I agree with the others and I represent the poor. If rent is too high for the middle class, then you can imagine what it is for poor folks. In the apartment where I stay, someone's being evicted every week from an apartment. And when you figure in rent plus electric plus gas plus water plus garbage removal plus transportation expenses And you need a phone, then I think even those on Welfare (if they can get with a Housing agency) can't make it.
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By: Judy Lynn Clark Ferguson on 10/20/2010 7:01AM
Everything in America is too damn HIGH.
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By: clarke on 10/20/2010 8:12AM
IF THIS GUY CAN MAKE ME AND JUDY LYNN AGREE ON SOMETHING, AFTER HE CLEANS UP NEW YORK HE SHOULD RUN FOR PRESIDENT CAUSE "THE RENT IS TOO DAMN HIGH". LOLOLOL THIS IS WAY I LOVE MY PEOPLE. YOU TELL EM JIMMY!!!!
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By: wordmatic on 10/20/2010 8:35AM
America needs a reset and a good place to start is with the cost of keeping a roof over one's head. The messenger in this case might be a bit wacky in his delivery but he did hit on a very good point that's being ignored by the main stream media and everyone in congress. The Rent Is Too Dam High.
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By: mancha de platano on 10/20/2010 9:55AM
O A K L A N D start our The Rent Is Too High, movement
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By: Brenda Williams on 10/20/2010 1:12PM
I'd vote for him in a New York minute! lol
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By: SHANNLINWO on 10/20/2010 2:00PM
Tell it like it is, whew....lol not only rent to high I'm sure but, so is everthing else. BE AT THEM POLLS FOLKS, LETS LOWER THIS RENT !!
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