Jonathan Makeley

Jonathan Makeley earned a high school diploma from Genesee Valley Central School, a bachelor's degree in history from Alfred University in 2017, and two graduate degrees from the State University at Buffalo in 2019 and 2021. His professional experience includes working as an historian. As of 2018, he was associated with the Prohibiton National Committee, the Prohibiton Party of New York, and the Prohibition Trust Fund Association.[1][2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am Jonathan Makeley and I am running as the Prohibition Party candidate for Governor of New York. I am a lifelong resident of New York State. I am a historian, with a focus on the history of American reform movements. I have a bachelor's in history from Alfred University, a master's in history from the University at Buffalo, and a master's in library and information science from the University at Buffalo. I have spent my adult life involved in my local communities, promoting social reform, and advocating for policies to advance the public welfare. I am the state chairman of the Prohibition Party of New York and National secretary of the Prohibition Party. Given New York’s restrictive ballot access laws, which make it almost impossible for alternative parties to get on the ballot, I will be running as a write-in candidate.

I am running because I believe in the principles of good governance and ethical public service. Because I believe that the state government should work to protect the lives, rights, and vital wellbeing of New Yorkers. That the policies of our state should work to uplift the public, rather than support those that seek to exploit and harm New Yorkers.

I am running because I believe that New Yorkers deserve to have a positive alternative to the failed approaches of the major parties. To have someone who will speak on the important issues affecting the lives, health, and wellbeing of New Yorkers, and speak for policies to help move our state forward.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs are serious social and public health problems and should be addressed as such. Alcohol alone kills over 8,000 New Yorkers a year and costs our state over 16 billion dollars a year in social, medical, and economic damages. We should establish a comprehensive approach to address these problems, which includes expanded support for education and prevention programs, expanding access and support for addiction treatment, mental healthcare, and cessation programs, increased restrictions on the sale of alcohol, tobacco, and other harmful products, and working to progressively reduce and phase out the commercial presence of the alcohol, tobacco, and other drug industries.The ability of the people to vote for their preferred candidate and the ability for citizens to run for public office are central to the healthy functioning of a democratic republic. Yet forces within the two major parties have conspired to engage in policies of electoral suppression. We should repeal the anti-democratic changes to state ballot access laws pushed through several years ago by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo, pass new ballot access laws that give alternative parties and independents a fair opportunity to get on the ballot, strengthen the independence of the state redistricting commission, and ban partisan gerrymandering.All students should have access to a good quality education, which supports their needs, fosters their personal and intellectual development, cultivates knowledge and skills, and promotes good citizenship. Towards these ends, we should work to improve the quality of our state’s education system. We should reform state aid to schools to ensure that all school districts are properly funded. We should improve support for the needs of all students. We should advance education policies to ensure the strong teaching of core subjects, promote critical thinking, and information literacy. We should expand the state’s TAP program and enact other policies to ensure that New Yorkers can have access to a tuition-free college or vocational education.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I policy areas that I am particularly interested in include protecting and advancing public health (including policies to address alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs), improving education, state ethics law reform, election law reform, and reforming state economic development programs.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I believe Myron Clark provides a good example of a New York governor who worked to protect the public wellbeing and advance reform.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

A genuine commitment to protecting the lives, rights, and vital wellbeing of the public. A belief in ethical public service and good governance.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To serve the people of New York and use your position to protect the lives, rights, and vital wellbeing of New Yorkers. As governor, that would include working with the legislature to enact policies, playing a significant role in shaping annual state budgets, and overseeing the management of state agencies.

What legacy would you like to leave?

To help move New York state government back in a direction focused on protecting the wellbeing of New Yorkers and uplifting them. To help revitalize our state's democratic system.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

A research assistant at Alfred University, as part of a project working to form connections between the University's history department and local historical institutions. I did it for several months.

Governors have many responsibilities, which vary from state to state. Which of those do you personally consider the most important in your state?

Working with the state legislature and state agencies to enact policies

In most states, governors have the power to make line-item vetoes. If that is true in your state, what would be your philosophy for how and when to use this power?

I would find it legitimate to use a line-item veto if an element contained a serious issue in an otherwise sound bill. For instance, if it contained elements that would violate the state constitution.

Under what circumstances should the governor of your state be able to use emergency powers?

If there were an emergency occurring, or imminent, where the regular governing operations would be unable to properly handle without emergency assistance. Such emergency actions should be done with proper transparency. For addressing longer term issues, it is best to use regular mechanisms to advance legislative changes and operational changes to state agencies.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

The Prohibition Party

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

I believe that the first historical event I can remember would have been 9/11. I would have been 6 at the time.

What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

1. Working to pass stronger ethics laws for public officials. 2. Working to end state support for the alcohol industry and advance policies to adress alcohol as a public health problem. 3. Working to make college education an jobs training more available and affordable for all New Yorkers.[4][5]

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?

I'm a political moralist, and believe in the importance of good government that serves to benefit the wellbeing of it people. As such, I am particularly focused on issues of government ethics, public wellbeing, education, holistic economics, and the legal system.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[5]

[the profile publisher] also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Jonathan Makeley answered the following:

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?

Some of he people I would like to follow the example of include Sarah and Angelina Grimke, Joel Wakeman, Asahel Cole, W.G. Calderwood, and D. Leigh Colvin.[5]

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else that best describes your political philosophy?

The issues page of the Prohibition Party of New York Website.[5]

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Ethical integrity, a spirit of public service, and a sound sense of what is right and beneficial for the people.[5]

What qualities do you possess that would make you a successful officeholder?

I am a historian, specializing in 19th century American reform movements. This provides both a perspective on how to achieve positive change in society, and a set of analytical and research skill that can be used to understand present ay issues. A someone ho has spent their life living in Western New York, I have a sense of the condition of our region and hat needs to be done to help build a better future for people in our state.[5]

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To work to produce laws that will allow the state government to better fulfill its responsibilities to the people.[5]

What legacy would you like to leave?

Helping to build the base for great positive changes that will improve the condition of the people in our society.[5]

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at that time?

I believe that the first historical even I can remember would have been 9/11. I would have been 6 at the time.[5]

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

A research assistant at Alfred University, as part of a project working to form connections between the University's history department and local historical institutions. I di it for several months.[5]

What is your favorite book? Why?

Ideas Have Consequences by Richard Weaver. It helped inspire me develop my thinking on considerations of philosophy, history, and society. Weaver and I share the commonality of being philosophic realists, though we obviously differ on many social and political issues.[5]

If you could be any fictional character, who would you be?

Double D from Ed Edd N Eddy[5]

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I'm not hat great at social interaction with groups of people. Much better at one to one conversation.[5]

(For non-Nebraska candidates) What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

Probably the fact that the assembly tends to be dominated by the Democrats and the Senate tens to be dominate by the Republicans.[5]

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Experience by useful for an elected official to have. Though at the same time it is important to for the legislature to get some fresh people from time to time.[5]

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

Dealing with the problem of alcohol and other drugs, trying to tackle the matter of corruption the state government, the availability and affordability of education, working to improve the state economy, the need to make the cost of living more affordable so that fewer people will feel the need to move out of our state, and making for state government fiscally secure.[5]

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

One where both do their best to act as ethical and faithful servants of the people, where they work to find common ground to advance positive policies, and where each legislative and executive official has the integrity to stand up to other officials, should those officials seek to act contrary to their responsibilities.[5]

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

It is beneficial to build positive professional relationships with other legislatures. In order to pass laws an enact policies, you need to gather sufficient support from other legislators. Having positive relationships can help to provide a ground for trying to convince other legislators to support ones initiatives.[5]

What process do you favor for redistricting?

I think redistricting should be done in a manner that is independent of partisan interests and in a manner that prevent the major parties from gerrymandering districts n their favor. Furthermore, our state needs to reform its ballot access laws, to create a fair and equal system for all candidates (rather than the current system which grants unfair advantages to major parties).[5]

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

The committees for alcohol and drug abuse, education, election law, higher education, and ethics and guidance.[5]

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

If I were elected to th stat assembly, then I would be the nly Prohibition Party member in sate legislature and thus would be the leading figure for the party by default.[5]

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Myron Clark, who was a New York State Senator and one time Governor of New York.[5]

Are you interested in running for a different political office in the future?

Yes.[5]

[the profile publisher] biographical submission form

The candidate completed [the profile publisher]'s biographical information submission form:

What is your political philosophy?

I am a political moralist. I am running to promote a vision of good government based in moral principal, ethical public service, and policies to advance the public wellbeing.[5]

—Jonathan Makeley[1]