IDC 101: THE TOP TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE IDC. June 2017

Transcription

1 IDC 101: THE TOP TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE IDC June 2017

2 #1: What s The Deal with the IDC? The Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) is a group of 8 Senators who ran as Democrats but are in a majority coalition with the Republicans and Simcha Felder (a Brooklyn Democratic Senator who caucuses with the GOP but is not in the IDC)

3 #2: Who Are the IDC 8? First: The Original Four org The Head Honcho: Jeff Klein (Bronx) DIANE SAVINO (Staten Is.) DAVE VALESKY (Onondaga) DAVID CARLUCCI (Rockland)

4 The Rest of the IDC 8: the Newbies TONY AVELLA (Queens) Joined IDC 2014 MARISOL ALCANTARA (Northern Manhattan) Joined IDC 2016 JOSE PERALTA (Queens) joined IDC 2017 JESSE HAMILTON (Brooklyn) Joined IDC 2016

5 #3 IDC Funny Math How Does the IDC Affect the Balance of Power in the Senate? 63 Senate Seats Total= 32 Elected Democrats > 31 GOP BUT! 31 GOP + 1 Felder + 8 IDC = 40 Majority Coalition 63 total 40 M.C.= 23 mainline Democrats 40 Majority Coalition > 23 mainline Democrats IN THE NEW YORK SENATE, THE MAJORITY IS IN THE MINORITY, AND THE MINORITY IS IN THE MAJORITY!

6 #4: The Simcha Question Q: Is Simcha Felder the reason for the GOP majority? A: NO! Instead of sending letters to other Democrats and producing fancy videos to make us believe you are advocating for issues important to Democrats, I suggest you put aside any personal conflicts you may have with the Senate Democrats and unconditionally and publicly rejoin the Democrats I would welcome unity if it effectuates my priority to The Thing About Simcha: He Never Puts All his Eggs in One Basket have the greatest positive impact on my constituents and all New Yorkers. -Letter to Jeff Klein from Simcha Felder, May 24, 2017

7 #5: If the IDC Senators are Pragmatic Progressives, What s the Problem? Myth: IDC claim to be Pragmatic Progressives who reach across the aisle, don t have to sit on the sidelines, and this is how they can get things done Reality: IDC empowers the GOP, who control Senate committees and the agenda. Thus, under Majority Leader John Flanagan s stewardship, progressive legislation DIES IN COMMITTEE (or, in the rare event it reaches a floor vote and passes, is significantly watered down)

8 #6: Bills Killed by IDC A few bills that died in Senate committee this year: NY Health Act Reproductive Health Act NY Liberty Act Child Victims Act Voting Rights Legislation Ethics Reform Climate & Community Protection Act GENDA DREAM Act & much more!

9 #7: The REAL Reasons for the IDC MONEY, PERKS, & POWER

10 $ MONEY $ Cash Rules Everything Around IDC Major Funders: Hedge Funds, Charter Schools & Real Estate SICC (Senate Independence Campaign Com.) is SICK IDC & Klein have more $$ than Democrats or Republicans More Pork to Hand Out to Constituents Jeff Klein Loves to Hand Out Oversized Checks All Over his District!

11 Perks & Power Perks: Bigger Offices, Larger Staffs, Committee Chairs Power: 3 MEN IN A ROOM BECOMES 4: Cuomo, Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Flanagan & Jeff Klein?? KLEIN AND BFF FLANAGAN KLEIN AND BESTIE CUOMO

12 #8: IDC s No Good, Very Bad 2017 Part A More Money, More Problems: LULUGATE Peralta, Savino and Valesky (along with 4 GOP Senators) revealed to receive lulus (stipends) for vice chair positions and to have falsely reported they were chairs to NY Comptroller Currently Under Investigation by NY AG, EDNY, Comptroller

13 #8: IDC s No Good, Very Bad 2017 Part B Nobody Likes Us, Everybody Hates Us -IDC Which Prominent New York Democratic Leader is Missing from this Page?

14 #9: Andy, You My Only Friend Look, we ve had a unified Democratic Government in Albany. It wasn t extraordinarily successful. - Andrew Cuomo on whether he d like a Democratic Majority in the Senate, May 3, 2017 The point is [the IDC is] growing. This is an institutionalization of their coalition, and I think they re right. AC, September 16, 2016 The Governor was not a passive observer during the formation of [the IDC]. He was deeply involved, they say, and absolutely encouraged the marriage that allowed the Republicans to remain in leadership even after the election of a Democratic majority. Politico, September 2, 2014

15 #10: You (yes, YOU) Can Fight the IDC! Educate Your Neighbors (neighbor-to-neighbor campaign upcoming at makenytrueblue.org) Call, Write, Visit, Tweet at, leave FB comments for IDC Senators to remind them we want a Democratic Majority in the State Senate Contribute $$ No IDC NY s efforts (noidcny.org) Sign Albany Solidarity Pledge Volunteer for primary challengers the IDC Join True Blue NY and NoIDCNY!