Talking Points: Facts and Rebuttals

"I don't caucus with the Republicans"


This is correct - the IDC does not caucus with the Republicans, they caucus with other IDC members.


The IDC ENABLES the Republicans by helping to hand over the majority along with Simcha Felder.


The IDC has a quid pro quo deal with the Republicans, which the IDC continued EVEN in 2014 when they had a 33-30 majority.


Caucus means meet with. The IDC does not meet with or gather with the Republicans. Jeff Klein (leader of the IDC) alone meets with Flanagan (leader of the Republicans) to make their deals.


"Look at my voting record, it's Progressive!"


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. 


"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.


"Look at all the Progressive legislation I passed, like Fight for 15!"


If the IDC didn't exist and the Democrats had their voted majority, then we could pass all the Progressive legislation we want rather than a small amount of watered down progressive bills.



 


"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 protests are racist! This is McCarthyism!"


So are the protests racist or are they McCarthyism? Please pick one.


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.