In December 2021, New York City's Council voted to allow the city's non-citizen voters — as many as 900,000 — to vote in municipal elections.  Yesterday, a judge on the New York Supreme Court (which is the equivalent of a trial court in other states) struck down that municipal law because it straight-out violated New York's Constitution.  In addition to being a manifestly correct decision, it's to be hoped that Judge Ralph Porzio's courage will inspire other judges to take a stand against the leftists' lawless madness.

Frankly, Judge Porzio's legal legwork in Fossella et al. v. Adams, et al. was made easy by the fact that New York law is remarkably clear and simple.  Whether in state Constitution, the Election Law code, or the Municipal Home Rule Law, every bit of New York's political structure says that voting is limited to citizens, not to people who just happen to live in a city or town.  Judge Porzio was therefore easily able to conclude that the plaintiffs, who contended that their votes would be illegally diluted by a flood of illegal votes, had the right of it:

The Municipal Voting Law [giving non-citizens voting rights in New York City] is "impermissible simply and solely for the reason that the Constitution says it cannot be done." [Citation omitted.]

The New York State Constitution expressly states that citizens meeting the age and residency requirements are entitled to register and vote in elections. The New York State Election Law reaffirms that citizens meeting the age and residency requirements are entitled to register and vote in elections. There is no statutory ability for the City of New York to issue inconsistent laws permitting non-citizens to vote and exceed the authority granted to it by the New York State Constitution. Though voting is a right that so many citizens take for granted, the City of New York cannot "obviate" the restrictions imposed by the Constitution.

Unsurprisingly, Joe Borelli (the Republican minority leader on the New York City Council, who was one of the plaintiffs in the suit) was extremely pleased with the outcome:

https://t.co/Y1ARLxsZAN

— Joe Borelli (@JoeBorelliNYC) June 27, 2022

The decision was the correct one, but, in 2022, it takes courage for a judge to make a legally correct decision that runs afoul of leftist desires.  As leftists have shown with their murderous frenzy against the Supreme Court justices who applied originalist analyses to issues such as gun rights and abortion, it's dangerous to cross them.  Justice Porzio, therefore, deserves to be congratulated for his courage.

Image: Voting buttons.

But there's more going on than that.  Across America, more and more heads are peeking over the parapets of corporations and courts as management and judges realize that the tide is turning and the fierce tyranny of the woke activists is finally waning.  In all areas, they have simply gone too far.

Demanding LGBT politics in kindergarten was too far.  Teaching racism in public schools was too far.  Requiring junior high– and high school–aged students to read pornographic books was too far.  Going from abortion being "safe, legal, and rare" to "shouting your abortion" was too far.  Going from graciously accommodating the poor souls who feel alienated from their own bodies to yielding to their demands that they have full access to the locker rooms, bathrooms, and competitions of the "gender with which they identify" was too far.

It's all been too much.  And here's the thing about a cultural tide turning.  Initially, only a few brave souls will stand against the tide.  However, as more of them show up, you start to get your "I am Spartacus" moment.

However, I don't like that analogy, because the Romans ended up crucifying some 20,000 slaves for their part in the slave revolt.  I prefer a scene from a very silly Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald film made in 1940.  It's called New Moon and involves men retaking their ship, which the government had wrongly seized.  What the scene does well is show the dynamic of a few brave people taking the lead.  When they do so, others will follow:

It's time for us all to be stout-hearted citizens and follow men like Judge Porzio who are leading the way.