IDC 101: THE TOP TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE IDC June 2017
#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)
#2: Who Are the IDC 8? First: The Original Four org. 2010 The Head Honcho: Jeff Klein (Bronx) DIANE SAVINO (Staten Is.) DAVE VALESKY (Onondaga) DAVID CARLUCCI (Rockland)
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
#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!
#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
#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)
#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!
#7: The REAL Reasons for the IDC MONEY, PERKS, & POWER
$ 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 $$ than Democrats or Republicans More Pork to Hand Out to Constituents Jeff Klein Loves to Hand Out Oversized Checks All Over his District!
Perks & Power Perks: Bigger Offices, Larger Staffs, Committee Chairs Power: 3 MEN IN A ROOM BECOMES 4: Cuomo, Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Flanagan & Jeff Klein?? KLEIN AND BFF FLANAGAN KLEIN AND BESTIE CUOMO
#8: IDC s No Good, Very Bad 2017 Part A More Money, More Problems: LULUGATE Peralta, Savino and Valesky (along with 4 GOP Senators) revealed to receive lulus (stipends) for vice chair positions and to have falsely reported they were chairs to NY Comptroller Currently Under Investigation by NY AG, EDNY, Comptroller
#8: IDC s No Good, Very Bad 2017 Part B Nobody Likes Us, Everybody Hates Us -IDC Which Prominent New York Democratic Leader is Missing from this Page?
#9: Andy, You My Only Friend Look, we ve had a unified Democratic Government in Albany. It wasn t extraordinarily successful. - Andrew Cuomo on whether he d like a Democratic Majority in the Senate, May 3, 2017 The point is [the IDC is] growing. This is an institutionalization of their coalition, and I think they re right. AC, September 16, 2016 The Governor was not a passive observer during the formation of [the IDC]. He was deeply involved, they say, and absolutely encouraged the marriage that allowed the Republicans to remain in leadership even after the election of a Democratic majority. Politico, September 2, 2014
#10: You (yes, YOU) Can Fight the IDC! Educate Your Neighbors (neighbor-to-neighbor campaign upcoming at makenytrueblue.org) Call, Write, Visit, Tweet at, leave FB comments for IDC Senators to remind them we want a Democratic Majority in the State Senate Contribute $$ No IDC NY s efforts (noidcny.org) Sign Albany Solidarity Pledge Volunteer for primary challengers the IDC Join True Blue NY and NoIDCNY!