The IDC, backed by Cuomo, has a few choice defenses they trot out in public.
Here’s the truth – let ‘em have it.
“We don’t caucus with the Republicans!”
No, but you work for them. They would not have the majority leadership or all the committees without you. You gave up the actual power of a unified Democratic majority for the appearance of power.
As disgraced Republican former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos said about the IDC: “It’s going to be co-coalition leader, which means nothing. I’m going to be president of the senate, I’m going to be majority leader, I’m going to control everything. I’m going to control who is on what committees, what legislation comes to the floor, the budget—everything.” USA Today, 11/19/15
There’s no reason to think this arrangement has changed under John Flanagan.
“Working with the Republicans gives us ‘leverage’ to get things done!”
You’re saying that you can get more progressive legislation passed with a Republican majority than you would with a Democratic one—which is RIDICULOUS. And, anything you claim to have accomplished is tragically watered down. For instance, if you had worked with the Democrats, we would have a $15 minimum wage all over NY State right now, instead of a years-long rollout and a lower minimum wage outside of NYC.
“Simcha Felder is the one preventing a Democratic majority!”
“I would do it,” Felder said. “If tomorrow it made a lot more sense for me to caucus with the Democrats” and it would better serve his constituents and New Yorkers, he said he’d have no problem switching teams again. City&StateNY, 10/24/16
It’s time to stop pointing fingers at Simcha Felder and start taking responsibility for empowering the Party of Trump.
“We don’t prevent progressive legislation!”
You mean you don’t vote to prevent progressive legislation. You don’t have to. It never gets to a vote because the Republicans kill the bills in committee.
“The IDC gives us more resources for our districts!”
So you sold out all the other Democrats’ districts? And the state as a whole? We the voters are not willing to sell out our health care, reproductive rights, school funding, and protections for immigrants, to name a few, for some one-off goodies for only one district.
“Cuomo’s going to give Hamilton’s district 1.4 billion dollars!”
And you promised your voters you were Democrats. Talk is cheap. And Cuomo and Hamilton cronies are surely lining up with their pockets open.
“We’re going to get Raise The Age passed!”
There are two versions of Raise The Age, and the one that would actually help these kids is the one Velmanette Montgomery has championed for five years. A unified Democratic legislature could have gotten this done years ago. Your conference couldn’t move the senate fast or far enough.
Minority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said this about the Republican/IDC version of this bill: “… (N)o half-measures or watered down options will really help our kids … We need to make sure that we’re just not having some Band-Aid that becomes a bandage instead of a cure.” Times Union, 3/8/17
“Anyone who complains is a gentrifier!”
- Nice alternative fact there.
- You’re gentrifying the senate. The Republicans are 100% white, and Jeff Klein is a white man who stole New York’s first ever black, female majority leader’s job and gave it to another white man, John Flanagan.
In fact, Klein and the IDC are literally FUNDED by the GENTRIFICATION INDUSTRY:
“Last August [Jeff Klein] raised, and spent, more than $500,000 in independent expenditures by the IDC’s political arm to help elect Alcantara … The bulk of this money came from real estate and the hedge-fund billionaires behind the attacks on public education. Klein has refused to sponsor any of the major pro-tenant bills in Albany. One of these would repeal the ‘preferential rent’ eviction loophole, which allows landlords to hit rent-stabilized tenants with increases of several hundred dollars when their leases come up for renewal.” Metropolitan Council on Housing, 2/2017
“The Democrats are disorganized!”
or “The Democrats aren’t unified!”
or “The Democrats are corrupt!”
Maybe nine years ago, when the Democrats last had the majority. November 2016 changed everything. True Democrats understand that we need the state to protect us against the federal government, right now. They’re energized and organized—and you support the Party of Trump. Enough said.
“You’re overreacting!”
Redistricting New York State is coming up and we need the Democrats solidly in power before then. The Party of Trump cannot be allowed to gerrymander themselves into permanent power.