The New York State Democratic Committee on Tuesday adopted a Resolution that backed the Unification of the Party in the State Senate, pushing the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) to form a new Alliance with the Mainline Conference in the Chamber.
The move is the latest Pressure point on the IDC, which has grown by Three Members to Seven + 1, in less than a Year, but has drawn increasing Consternation from Liberals who have Criticized the Conference’s working Relationship with the Senate Republicans.
Democrats have a Numerical Majority in the State Senate, but Republicans retain Power with the Aid of Brooklyn Sen. Simcha Felder, a Registered Democrat who sits with the IDC and the GOP Conference.
Still, the IDC has remained a Powerful and Key Bloc of votes in the closely Divided Senate. IDC Leader Jeff Klein is included in the Top-Level Legislative Leaders’ Meetings with Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “I think after the election last year, it’s important for Democrats to reinforce what it means to be a Democrat,” said Basil Smikle, the Democratic Committee’s Executive Director. “When we have Democratic members of the state Senate who are working with Republican members who may undermine progressive legislation and values we’d like to get promoted here in New York — and with the leadership of the governor and the chairmen — this is where the rubber meets the road.”
But Smikle stopped short of what Role the Head of the Party, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, should take on Reuniting the Party in the Senate. Cuomo declared he wouldn’t be able to Force the Lawmakers to work together, comparing it a shotgun marriage. “This is an issue for the Senate chamber,” Smikle said. “It’s hard for anybody not in that chamber to not have an impact on how that chamber organizes itself.”
In a Statement, IDC Spokeswoman Candice Giove criticized the Committee Members who pushed for the Resolution. “The reason why the Democratic Party is losing across the nation and at home is that they are coopted by a small band of misfits who continue to talk to each other in echo chambers and refuse to acknowledge that the party of Roosevelt, Kennedy and Clinton no longer has the ability to communicate with working-class voters,” she said. “The Independent Democratic Conference will continue to fight for the working class and espouse the hopes and aspirations of all New Yorkers. Big tent Democratic politics is good government and good politics. We will see you at the polls.”
Mainline Democratic Conference Spokesman Mike Murphy responded to Giove’s Statement, noting the Institutional support for a Senate Unification Agreement. “It is disturbing that the IDC thinks the entire state party, the DNC, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the entire NY Democratic Congressional Delegation, Mayor de Blaiso, Public Advocate Tish James, Comptroller Scott Stringer and many more national and local leaders are just a ‘small band of misfits’. It shows how out of touch and corrupted by power they have become in this GOP coalition,” he said.
The Grassroots of the Party in New York and elsewhere have moved further to the left over the course of the last several years. A significant portion of the Party’s Delegation to the Democratic National Committee last year were supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, but adopted New York Resident Hillary Clinton.
At the same time, Cuomo has come under Criticism from the Left for the Senate Arrangement, saying he prefers the Senate to be led by Republicans to moderate the Influence of the large Democratic Majority in the Assembly.
Also on Tuesday, Zephyr Teachout, who challenged Cuomo from the Left in a 2014 Primary, was Elected to a Committee Post from Dutchess County.
Nevertheless, other Resolutions to encourage Democratic Unity in the Senate in previous years have fallen short.
“If you do not fall in line with this,” Smikle said, “there are going to be ramifications.”
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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