Sound's like something Pete would say.

Hey there! Tool checking in from the fighting 14th! My district is home to AOC, over inflated rental properties, and has the honor of being one of the most diverse places in the world!

The fighting 14th (as Colbert refers to our glorious district) is part of NYC and the Empire state of New York. Over the last 25 years or so (maybe a little more) I’ve seen political progress within my blue state thwarted — not by republicans — but by a special little group of lawmakers that a newly whelped Gov. Andrew Cuomo ushered into power and then later supported called the IDC. The IDC or (Independent Democratic Caucus) started off with four democrats defecting to the Republicans after Democrats regained the majority in the state house for the first time in two generations.

The bitter taste left in democrats mouth was unable to be washed out for over 10 years as progressive initiative after progressive initiative meant for NYC was waylaid, abandoned, and neglected in favor of legislation that was favorable to the GOP or their proxy corporate interests.

Now, the IDC, was wiped out in 2018 due to the Blue Wave that struck NY. Out of all the members of the IDC — only 1 was left standing after the election. The IDC then chose to dissolve!

Dissolution

The New York Senate following the dissolution of the Independent Democratic Conference in April 2018.

Government: Republicans (31) Non-Conference Democrat in Government (1) Opposition: Democrats (31) On April 4, 2018, the IDC announced that it would dissolve, its members would rejoin the Senate Democratic Conference, and that Klein would become the Deputy Democratic Conference Leader. The announcement followed a meeting called by Governor Andrew Cuomo at which Cuomo requested that the IDC reunite with the Senate Democratic Conference.[46] On April 16, the IDC was dissolved.[47] Following the purported dissolution of the IDC, Avella, Alcantara, Carlucci and Hamilton were all stripped of their committee chairships by Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan.[48] In addition, 39 IDC staffers were laid off, and Klein was required to move out of his office suite and relinquish his state vehicle.[49] Despite their return to the Senate Democratic Conference, all eight former members of the IDC faced challengers in the 2018 Democratic primaries.[50][51]

bold by diarist

Since the IDC has been gone NYS has finally been able to make progress on the backlog of legislation that has been sitting in Albany collecting dust for the last 10 years.

Now, does anybody ever wonder where these people go after spending years working against the interests of New York?

The debate over who controls the New York State Senate has become a circus,” said Sen. Jeff Klein (D-Bronx), who leads the now seven-member Independent Democratic Conference that works closely with the Republican majority. “I will not have any part of it. It is the kind of dysfunctional public display that has voters asking where is the leadership needed to get this state moving forward.” Klein, however, isn’t saying yet how the IDC would be aligned in the 2017 legislative session, said spokeswoman Lis Smith. She said a decision on whether the IDC will continue to align with the Senate majority or with Democrats will be made by the IDC and announced in coming weeks.

Lis Smith..Lis Smith..Sen.Jeff Klein (the former leader of the IDC’s) spokeswoman and public face of why NY can’t have nice things has gone on the be:

Pete Buttigieg’s campaign communications director.

Great.

Let’s take a look at what Buttigieg’s communication director has been filling the twitterverse with:

x Will @ewarren release every year of tax returns for her corporate law work? https://t.co/oukd9KWhOx Ã¢ÂÂ Lis Smith (@Lis_Smith) December 6, 2019

x Stay tuned.



Now do @ewarrenÃ¢ÂÂs decades of corporate law work and the tax returns sheÃ¢ÂÂs hiding from the American people. https://t.co/ZnRfONt6cJ Ã¢ÂÂ Lis Smith (@Lis_Smith) December 6, 2019

x If @ewarren wants to have a debate about transparency, she can start by opening up the doors to the decades of tax returns sheÃ¢ÂÂs hiding from her work as a corporate lawyer- often defending the types of corporate bad actors she now denounces. https://t.co/3nGZc7Dzhj Ã¢ÂÂ Lis Smith (@Lis_Smith) December 6, 2019

These attacks on Sen. Elizabeth Warren are astoundingly dishonest. If we needed more republicans in our field — we sure got them with communication directors like this. If you’re wondering what type of “progressive” Mayor Pete is — well he’s the type of guy who looks at the field of talent out there and then brings in former members of the IDC (The caucus that was defeated for good by our 2018 wave) and thinks that their attacks on the left — which failed miserably in NY — could somehow be scaled upwards into a national attack platform.

What do Republicans tend to do to their opponents? Take what the public considers their strength, question it, and then accuse your opponents of what they themselves tend to be guilty of.

In the primary we have the option of supporting the best possible candidates.

Right now as a Millennial — I have no candidates that represent my cohort economically other than Warren or Bernie.

Pete’s campaign at this point seems like an amalgamation of corporate interests, hippy punching, and a great desire to please powerful people. His campaign seems tone deaf on race. His campaign seems tone deaf on economics. His campaign seems tone deaf in general and seems all about chasing that elusive republican swing voter who will 90% still vote for Trump rather than the 80,000,000 or so people who do not participate in our elections.

With communication directors & senior advisors like this: Who needs republicans?

A lesson from a New Yorker who dealt with the IDC for 10 years:

You don’t.