This is a longer story, and I'm on a deadline, so I'll cut to the gist. State Senator Jesse Hamilton has his hands full. Had Trump not won the presidency, he may have been able to
continue in his Independent Democratic coalition (IDC) and kept his seat without incident. But folks are pissed at Republicans in a way they haven't been for years (well, at least 9). And the fact that Hamilton caucuses with the Repubs to gain more money for the district (and not coincidentally for himself - a chairmanship and all) has not won him many NEW fans. Hamilton was Eric Adams' chosen successor, and Adams himself took a bit of a victory lap when Hamilton won the 20th district, calling himself a Kingmaker. The truth has been a bit more nuanced.
And so this year a challenger is already making noise and raising cash, a young fellow with a terrific name -
Zellnor Myrie. I mean, does this guy look like he means business or what? Smart choice posing before the subway station. Who can't relate to that??
I'm gonna be straight with you. I like Jesse. I really do. And I think he's right that when the state's as divided as the country, you need to get creative. And the IDC has done just that. But it's all out war, man. You can't run as a Dem and switch parties just before the election. That was weak. Then trying to
claim that only gentrifiers are pissed about it? Fighting words. Not for nothing, Jesse, there's a shit-ton of "gentrifiers" in your district, and more every day. But it's nice to see that his chief opponent is anything but.
This is gonna be interesting y'all.
11 comments:
There are 32 members of the Republican conference, including every senator elected on the Republican Party line. The 8 members of the Independent Democrats and the 23 members of the mainline Democrats all voted for Democratic leadership on 1/4/17. This means the GOP got control of the Senate without a single vote of the Independent Democrats or the mainline Democrats.
Jesse votes with the Democrats, he's a registered Democrat and he's the Secretary of the official Kings County Democratic Party. What do you mean he switched parties? Which votes are you referring to? His 100% pro-environmental voting record, according to the NY League of Conservation Voters? The guy who criticized Laurie Cumbo from the left on the Bedford Union Armory?
"Not won him many NEW fans?" What about the kids who have gotten free lead testing from Hamilton? Who've gotten free computer coding?
Look at your primary sources like the Senate website, not secondary sources like DNAinfo. "The truth has been a bit more nuanced," but Jesse's voting record and priorities in office have shown he has an impressive record supporting Democratic issues and voting for Democratic causes. I haven't heard much "nuance" from the people who try to equate Hamilton with Trump, as Zellnor does in the photo you shared.
EFV: BALONEY. Republicans have control of the NYS Senate because of the IDC. To say otherwise is disingenuous. Hamilton deserves all of the criticism he's received as a result of declaring his allegiance to the Republicans one day after being elected as a Democrat.
Hamilton can (and does) only vote along with Democrats WHEN A BILL REACHES THE FLOOR. Because Republicans control the senate - because of the IDC - meaningful, progressive legislation does not come up for a vote. Taking nuances into account makes Hamilton look worse, not better.
We, the voters of Brooklyn, are not stupid. Hamilton dug his political grave, and I for one hope that he falls into it with a thud. TRAITOR.
Thank you both for illuminating the different positions! I love it...actual conversation about politics. I think "traitor" is a tough word, but certainly it's true that voters voted for a tried and true Democrat and have reason to feel betrayed. If you want to be IDC, you must be up-front with the voters well before the primary. I'm not sure it would have hurt him in the least (at that time, when IDC was even less understood than it is now.) More than any policy or achievement, that is what irks voters most. That there was an assumption that he could make that move without the blessing of the electorate. In fact, his defensive posture has made matters worse.
Now we're expected to somehow judge him on arcane Senate rules that most people haven't a clue about. The things we see clearly though are that he got a chairmanship and extra money. Sorry - those aren't good optics when you're caucusing with the other party.
This is how democracy works when it works best - voters having the opportunity to assess candidates on their plans, then reassessing based on their results. Sadly, incumbency seems to rule the day, and I've come to the conclusion that only term limits can remove lame officials.
Timmy-Tim, you are correct about awareness around the IDC. It is increasing. I spread the word as best as I possibly can. When I explain the IDC to someone who has not heard of it before, their immediate reaction is outrage, as it should be.
That said, I agree that incumbency is golden, and it's unlikely that a challenger will take the seat. One can only hope that Hamilton is shamed into retirement alongside every other IDC turncoat (I do not think that "traitor" is too strong of a word).
Funny thing - I've asked repeatedly to be removed from Hamilton's email list, and I'm still on it. With each request, I find myself getting into an argument with whomever the staff person is who checks the generic office email address. On the last round, my legitimate opposition to the IDC was met with the response, "Leave a black man alone." To me, only someone on the clear losing side of an argument uses identity as a shutdown.
Here we have two people arguing against the IDC using the word "traitor." Yet they have no real concrete example of him actually voting agianst these progressive bills. That's because there is no evidence, so they are left with the argument that they are, essentially "woke," and anyone who disagrees with them is a fraud.
What's hilarious is what they are defending. These people are acting all radical by equating a lifelong Democrat with Trump... yet they are defending the conference lead by Gianeris/Stewart-Cousins. Kevin Parker, Jumaane Williams, Mathieu Eugene, John Sampson, Pamela Harris etc are all pure as the driven snow, and the only thing stopping them is Jesse Hamilton. Really?
Oh, then the argument that Jesse is completely tainted because he gets money from the Republicans. Does that explain why his criminal justice stance has pushed Jumaane Williams and Menchaca to the left? Give me one example of how he has started to vote more Republican since joining the IDC. There is no example, and nobody is even asking that question.
What is Jesse Hamilton doing with this tainted money? Giving it to groups like Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger so kids in Brownsville can get lunch so they can go to summer camp. Giving kids at MS 61 free computer coding. The anti-IDC people hate this because they can't see it.
And what is the anti-IDC alternative? A guy whose main political resume is working for a Republican-turned-Democrat. They have put forth a guy whose main resume is supporting social causes that are far to the right of Jesse Hamilton.
In the end, the anti-IDC crowd is doing exactly what they pretend to be fighting. They are spending time and money to fight a Democrat who votes with Democrats, when the real fight is against Republicans. There are real racists out there. There are real homophones out there. There are real xenophobes out there, but Jesse Hamilton is not one of them.
Some voters feel betrayed by Jesse. But others are really quite glad to have an engaged politician. Unlike someone like Mathieu Eugene, the biggest complaint is that people hear from him too much.
So, let's let the voters decide. If these anti-IDC activists are ready to call Jesse Hamilton a turncoat, when are they going to call YOU a turncoat? The public record shows that Hamilton voted for a Democrat for leader of the NY Senate when it came to a vote on 1/4/17, and Alex's response was "BALONEY." Listen to the anti-IDC crowd. Their arguments are repetitive and absolute.
Jesse has been around for long time. Let's treat him like a real 3 dimensional person, and let's also not idealize the party of Chuck Shumer, Vito Lopez, Mathieu Eugene, Senator Gianeris, Kevin Parker, Darlene Mealy and Mark Treyger.
Nope. You're making the situation sound more complicated and nuanced than it actually is. Of course my argument is absolute and repetitive - the IDC is absolutely terrible, and there's no world in which "repetitive" equals "incorrect."
Any special funds that Hamilton receives due to his IDC membership (other than lulu payments, which go straight to his bank account) could be acquired through legislation, too, but I guess he's given up on that route.
We, the people of NYS who elected a Democratic senate, are deprived of progressive policies because of the IDC. That's a fact. The only IDC supporters I've heard from are people on the payroll. If this applies to you, EFV, you should provide full disclosure. Use your name, too.
The IDC is a national disgrace and makes NYS look like a dysfunctional joke.
Been reading some of the history of the IDC, EFV. It's not pretty; not pretty at all.
We would assume that Senator Hamilton - a longtime community voice - would vote his conscience on matters of legislation. Were he not to, he'd have no leg to stand on at all. The question for many of us is about how many important pieces of legislation DON'T come up because he's handed the legislature to the Republicans.
If you would, please go here and rebut the rebuttals? http://www.noidcny.org/ You sound very well versed, and it would be nice to hear your reaction.
I also wonder whether Jesse is saying that it's more important for him to get some good stuff for his district than to enact meaningful legislation statewide. That would seem pretty cynical to me, but hey, Albany has been screwed up for a long long time. So if Jesse has a longterm strategy he needs to explain it in English for his constituents, nice and easy. Calling the anti-IDC racist is ludicrous. It would appear Jesse helped ensure that the first black speaker of the senate was blocked from taking office.
And besides, JH's opponent is black. Any fool will recognize that Crown Heights needs black leadership. But Jesse is not the only person who can do this job. When elected officials think they are the lone candidates worthy of consideration, it's time for them to go. Hell, he can do a lot of good for people in some other position, if that's truly what he's all about.
So I hope you'll elucidate why the NO-IDC campaign is inaccurate, calmly please. Otherwise, I think Alex has a damn good point.
"The question for many of us is about how many important pieces of legislation DON'T come up because he's handed the legislature to the Republicans."
I have read EVERYTHING the anti-IDC people say, and not once have I seen any evidence that he's actually blocking this legislation. Please tell me the mechanics of how this happens, because it's pretty central to the anti-IDC argument. Here's what the noIDC website says:
"Your voting record doesn't matter because your deal with the Republicans ensures that most progressive legislation cannot come to the Senate floor for a vote.There is no voting record for bills you effectively blocked from coming to the floor. The IDC effectively blocks Women’s Health, Single Payer, GENDA, Dream Act, Sanctuary State, Rent Regulation, Criminal Justice Reform, Campaign Ethics Reform etc from coming to the Senate floor for a vote."
But it doesn't really say HOW the IDC blocks this legislation. But the next bullet point is this:
""I DIDN'T VOTE FOR FLANAGAN, THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY LEADER!"
This is correct - they did not vote for him. They handed over the majority to the Republicans who in turn voted for Flanagan. Only the majority members vote for a leader. "
This is the same point that I keep repeated. Jesse did not vote for Flanagan. To which the anti-IDC people say
""IT'S NOT THE IDC, IT'S SIMCHA FELDER! SIMCHA FELDER GIVES OVER THE MAJORITY, NOT US!"
The IDC hides behind Simcha Felder, and Simcha Felder hides behind the IDC. But all 9 of them together give over the majority to the Republicans. "
The facts are clear that in fact Simcha Felder gives the majority to the his fellow members who were also elected on the Republican line. The vote on 1/4/17 was 32 for Flanagan, and 31 for Democrats. This makes sense because in 2016, Felder was rated as the most conservative Senator, tied with Senator Akshar, and was even more conservative than Flanagan. Felder is the one whose staffer said that the Charlottesville terrorist murder was really a liberal plot. Felder says all sorts of stuff, and the anti-IDC folks are rather selective in which statements they believe. If they believe Felder's statement that he'd join the Democrats along with his support for his staffer who claims Charlotteville was really a Soros plot?
"I also wonder whether Jesse is saying that it's more important for him to get some good stuff for his district than to enact meaningful legislation statewide." Nope. He's not saying that.
"It would appear Jesse helped ensure that the first black speaker of the senate was blocked from taking office." He has said that if Stewart-Cousins could win, he would vote for her. Can you explain more how Jesse helped ensure he blocked her?
I hope I explained my views calmly. I am pretty passionate about stopping corruption in Albany, and I have a lot of sympathy with the goals of the anti-IDC crowd. I just think that their argument is not supported by the public record.
The online world doesn't represent the feelings in the district, and most people don't want to get into online arguments with the anti-IDC crowd. But Alex said "The only IDC supporters I've heard from are people on the payroll." Does that apply to Kirsten Foy? He was less polite than me in this tweet, and he sure is not the on the IDC payroll:
https://twitter.com/KirstenJohnFoy/status/953093495111155712
I'm not going to continue writing here. I'd rather stick to talking to people face to face, but I appreciate a good debate.
I'd call that a stalemate. I appreciate your passion and perspective, EFV.
Now this is the most important question, and I hope you or someone else will answer it.
Were the IDC to create a clear majority by coming back to the mainstream Dems, would they do it? And if not, why not? They'd get all the benefits of majority status, plus bring meaningful legislation to the floor. Wouldn't that be win-win-win for all liberals?
This is what I think is happening. Having thrown his hat in with the IDC, Hamilton would have to eat crow to come back. It's too late now. He'd be shunned by mainstream Dems, get no meaningful chairmanships or perks or discretionary money. Zip.
In which case, the voters would have no choice but to put someone in who's fresh and unblemished. Would you agree to that at least, regardless of how you feel about Jesse personally?
And again, I DO like Jesse. I just think he made a fatal mistake, and now it's time for the voters to respond accordingly. His career isn't over if he loses - just this phase and role.
I love this fact: "The Democratic minority leader is Andrea Stewart-Cousins, an African-American female. The IDC is blocking the first African-American person (who is also the first woman) from being the Senate Majority leader."
See more here: http://www.noidcny.org/jquery_ajax_load/get/node/9
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