State Senate GOP: Same as Santorum, Romney, Gingrich
By Senator Mike Gianaris on 03/28/2012 @ 11:00 AM
It’s happening all over again! First, they denied immigrants access to financial aid for higher education. Then they blocked a proven crime-solving tool called bullet micro stamping. They even censored a symbolic resolution to designate a few days in January as Reproductive Rights and Justice Week.
Now, Republicans in the State Senate are putting desperately needed federal dollars at risk and holding hostage the health and well being of all New Yorkers. They have fallen victim to “Obamacare Derangement Syndrome” but the cure is within our grasp.
At a time when too many New Yorkers go without coverage, Albany must act now to create a health care exchange system that fosters greater competition, growth and access. To do anything less would be reprehensible.
Now, Senate Republicans are forcing our Governor to act alone while taking a page out of the playbook of Santorum, Romney, Gingrich and the Tea Party extremists who are right now brazenly attacking equal access to healthcare in the U.S. Supreme Court. These divisive tactics and draconian measures must stop!
Join us as we work to put Democrats back in charge of the State Senate, guarantee equal access to good healthcare and support a more progressive agenda that will protect women's rights, safeguard the environment and ensure that those who can most easily afford it, pay their fair share.
On Track To Take It Back!
By Josh Cherwin on 03/06/2012 @ 08:26 AM
On Saturday, the New York Times highlighted DSCC Chair Senator Mike Gianaris and his work to restore a Democratic majority. While the Senate GOP is huddled behind close doors, trying to gerrymander its way into holding a narrow 2-seat majority, the DSCC is recruiting strong, reform-minded candidates who will compete in every corner of this state.
From Buffalo to Brentwood, our candidates will stand tall for a New York that protects the rights of women to make their own healthcare choices, safeguards the air we breathe and water we drink, and ensures that all workers receive a fair wage for an honest day's work.
Click here to read the full article.
I hope we can continue to count on your support as we prepare to take back the Senate on November 6th!
You pick your Senator, not the Senate GOP!
By Senator Mike Gianaris on 01/27/2012 @ 11:49 AM
Yesterday, Senate Republicans officially returned Albany to its status as the most dysfunctional capital in the nation, dealing a shameful blow to the cause of reform. In a brazen move stolen straight out of the playbook of convicted felon Tom DeLay, millions of New Yorkers were disenfranchised as part of a last ditch Republican attempt to cling to power.
But don’t just take my word for it. Look at what Governor Cuomo’s Office said:
“At first glance, these lines are simply unacceptable and would be vetoed by the Governor. We need a better process and product."
Once again, Senator Skelos and his GOP cronies proved themselves to be the Party of Broken Promises, going back on every pledge made that they would produce fair, non-partisan maps.
But don’t just take my word for it, look at what former NYC Mayor Ed Koch said:
“No surprise, I am disappointed in this result and in the dishonorable lawmakers who openly pledged to do things differently this year, and then reneged when it wasn’t to their political advantage. What a shame: this is not reform in letter or in spirit. Today, victory lies with the Enemies of Reform."
Not surprisingly, this Republican scheme ignores the criteria recommended by Governor Cuomo and good government groups alike. Instead, the lines shamefully and illegally break up communities of interest, significantly vary in population, are not compact and are not even contiguous!
But don’t just take my word for it, look at what Bill Mahoney of the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) said:
"The Senate’s maps are clearly the most gerrymandered lines in recent New York history.”
Call Majority Leader Dean Skelos at (516) 766-8383 and tell him you pick your Senator, not him!
Fool me once, shame on you . . .
By Senator Mike Gianaris on 03/14/2011 @ 07:00 PM
Last week, Senate Republicans attempted to silence the people’s voice, using parliamentary maneuvering to prevent a public hearing on Governor Cuomo’s Redistricting Reform Act of 2011. Today, they continued their retreat from reform in a way that was so brazen, they wrapped their broken promises in our State’s most hallowed document – its Constitution.
Here are the simple facts: during last year’s elections, all 32 Senate Republicans signed former Mayor Ed Koch’s reform pledge in support of independent redistricting pursuant to this year’s census. Today, they simply kicked the can down the road another 10 years, only serving to lengthen their more than 40 year record of refusing to change the way business is done in Albany.
The Senate GOP thinks New Yorkers are foolish enough to fall for the same half-measures and empty promises that have been served up in the past. We know better and I need you to stand with me and leaders from around this state, Republican and Democrat alike.
Go to passthepledge.com and join thousands of your fellow New Yorkers in demanding that all 32 Senate Republicans keep their promise and pass the pledge!
It’s time to allow voters to choose their elected representatives instead of allowing Senators to choose their constituents!
GOP Shows No Shame
By Senator Mike Gianaris on 03/09/2011 @ 04:00 PM
In a brazen power grab that slammed the doors of government on the very people we are privileged to represent and muzzled the free and fair debate that defines our democracy, Senate Republicans have once again broken their promise to New York and refused to support independent redistricting. Yesterday, in what could only be described as a gross abuse of the public trust, the Republican Majority shamefully cast aside the rules of the Senate and without even an explanation, summarily rejected a request to give Governor Cuomo’s Redistricting Reform Act of 2011 the public hearing it deserves.
Today the Democrat and Chronicle called out the GOP for their Broken Promise. In their Editorial "Gov. Cuomo needs to hold Senate GOP accountable on redistricting," the Democrat and Chronicle said the following:
Republicans in the state Senate who signed a pledge to support an independent panel to redraw legislative districts lines either think New Yorkers suffer amnesia or they're fools.
That's the only reasonable conclusion that can be made now that they're backing away from the pledge which most of them signed last fall.
Led by Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, GOP senators such as Jim Alesi, George Maziarz, Michael Nozzolio and Joe Robach are running away from Gov. Cuomo's redistricting proposal.
Charlie King, the state Democratic Party's executive director, had some fun with the situation Tuesday by passing out so-called "Truth Juice" to GOP senators in Albany. But the truth that their reneging on pledges signed by 54 of 62 senators is no laughing matter.
Is there no honor anymore among politicians? Let's just say it's this kind of flip-flopping that's responsible for their low ratings in virtually every public opinion poll...
During last year’s election, every Senate Republican signed former Mayor Ed Koch’s reform pledge in support of independent redistricting. Now, all of them are not only refusing to keep their own word but they are taking the unprecedented step of preventing any discussion that even mentions the word “redistricting” or relates to what has been called by good government groups the most important piece of reform legislation in our State’s history.
It is clear the GOP will go to any length to avoid scrutiny for breaking a promise they never intended to keep. We cannot let this stand!
Others around the state have also begun to take note: CentralNY.ynn.com: Efforts At Redistricting Reform Raise Ruckus Times Union Video of Sen. Gianaris
GOP Spitting On Reform
By Josh Cherwin on 03/07/2011 @ 06:00 PM
The Senate GOP is still backing away from their promise to support independent redistricting by quietly burying the centerpiece of Governor Cuomo’s agenda to clean up Albany: the Redistricting Reform Act of 2011. The bill is buried in the Senate Rules Committee where it can anonymously avoid public oversight, Senate Democrats today presented and delivered a petition seeking to force a vote and public hearing on the Governor’s legislation.
As a piece on the State of Politics Blog reports, Senators Mike Gianaris and Neil Breslin questioned Deputy Senate Majority Leader Tom Libous’call for more time on redistricting while they keep putting other bills on the agenda. One bill on today's agenda would regulate prisoners' spitting. Liz Benjamin's post "Spitting On Reform?" said:
Sen. Mike Gianaris was dispatched by the Democrats to push back against Deputy Senate Majority Leader Tom Libous’ call for more time on redistricting reform.
The Queens Democrat, who has championed an independent redistricting commission since his Assembly days, said he finds the majority’s claims of being too focused on the budget to do anything else at the moment disingenuous.
Gianaris noted the Senate is poised to act on a bill today that would prohibit inmates from “throwing, tossing, expectorating or expelling of saliva or other bodily secretion” on prison employees.
“While they have time to regulate spit, they’re spitting on the governor’s top reform proposal,” Gianaris said.
“It’s curious that they claim they don’t have time to deal with anything but the budget, but they have time to regulate prisoners spit.”
At 1 p.m. this afternoon, the Senate Democrats plan to again rattle the GOP’s cage on redistricting reform, delivering the Rules Committee a petition signed by one-third of its members seeking a public hearing on the governor’s bill.
This has been possible since at least the last time the Senate rules were changed back in 2009. A hearing has to be held within two weeks of the petition unless the majority of Rules Committee members vote not to do so.
Whart the Democrats really want here is to get the Senate Republicans on the record voting “no” on redistricting reform – a vote they will no doubt seek to exploit during the next campaign.
In addition to the comments in the below video, Senators from the Democratic Conference had this to say:
Deputy Democratic Leader Neil Breslin said, “Convening a public hearing will allow those members who have voiced concern with the Governor’s legislation the full opportunity to discuss their issues in an open forum, instead of hiding behind an undemocratic legislative process. I invite all of my Republican colleagues on the Rules Committee who intend to keep their promise, to sign this petition and give the Governor’s legislation the open and fair hearing voters deserve.”
Senator Mike Gianaris (D-Queens) said, “With each passing day, the Senate Republicans' cynical plan becomes further exposed. They all promised to support independent redistricting in order to get elected, then ran away from that promise at record speed because it no longer suited their partisan politics. It is Albany politics at its worst and it is shameful. It's time to Keep the Promise and Pass the Pledge.”
Senator Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx) said, “We shouldn’t have to keep making excuses for Republican Senator Skelos’ failure of leadership and failure to keep a campaign promise to his constituents and the people of New York. The rules are there to bring order, to pass legislation and make progress happen, not to block it. That’s why I support this petition to bring a vote on Governor Cuomo’s independent redistricting to the floor of the Senate.”
Senator Daniel Squadron (D-Brooklyn/Manhattan) said, “54 out of 62 Senators signed Mayor Koch's pledge to support independent redistricting and other vital reforms. This initiative is too important to let die in a back room. 54 of 62 Senators must be given the opportunity to make good on their pledge.”
Senator Adriano Espaillat (D-Manhattan/Bronx) said, “Voters elected us to reform Albany and fix the broken status quo that Senate Republicans seem hell bent on preserving. Instead of perpetuating the continuing dysfunction in Albany, Senate Republicans should put aside their political maneuvering and allow debate, sponsorship, and an up or down vote on Governor Cuomo’s independent redistricting proposal. Most of the Senate Republicans joined their Democratic colleagues in supporting Ed Koch’s pledge to pass independent redistricting, but now Republican support in the Senate appears to be more smoke and mirrors from a disingenuous Senate majority.”
Senator Shirley L. Huntley (D-Jamaica) said, “The blatant disregard some New York State Senate members have for Ed Koch’s New York Uprising Pledge is both disrespectful and dishonorable. Senate Republicans who signed the pledge and have continuously said that our state government must be reformed, have now suddenly become quiet, and unmoved, as the Senate Democrats have championed Ed Koch’s mission, and the will of New Yorkers. Now is not the time to sit on the sidelines, as our great state comes through a myriad of fiscal and ethical challenges. We must ensure that New York State government is fair, effective, and transparent and once again be a leading example for other states in our union. Those who choose not to embrace this cause will have failed their constituents, their duties and responsibilities as an elected state official, and most of all the 19 million plus residents of the great state of New York.”
Albany Times Union: Time to Fix Election Laws
By Mike Connery on 12/29/2010 @ 10:50 AM
As disappointing as Senator Craig Johnson's loss to Jack Martin's was to Democrats, the manner in which he lost should disturb all New Yorkers. As a piece in today's Albany Times Union today makes clear, current election law robbed Nassau residents of the right to have their vote counted, and betrayed the trust of our citizens in the fairness and integrity of the electoral process.
The court battle over one particularly close state Senate race may be over, but neither side should be happy with the outcome. Nor should New Yorkers, no matter whom they were rooting for.
Republican Jack Martins may well have been the legitimate victor in the 7th Senate District race on Long Island. Then again, it might have been Democratic Sen. Craig Johnson. We'll probably never know, thanks to New York's election laws. [...]
That last flaw was exposed in this year's 7th Senate district race, in which Mr. Martins drew 451 votes more than Mr. Johnson -- a margin of just a half of one percent of the roughly 85,000 votes cast.
In a number of other states, from Connecticut to Florida to Alabama to New Mexico, such a close margin would be cause for an automatic recount.
Not so in New York, where that decision is left largely up to the courts, which in this case decided that a recount wasn't necessary -- despite errors that were found in a sampling of three percent of the machines in the district. One machine, for example, had more votes counted than actual ballots; two others had fewer votes recorded than the number of ballots cast.
Those and other errors netted two extra votes for Mr. Johnson. The courts, though, reasoned that since Mr. Martin would still win if all the machines had the same rate of error, and since there was no evidence of foul play, a full hand count of ballots wasn't necessary.
As the Times Union makes clear, the law must be changed to mandate recounts in close contests such as the one that occurred in SD-7 in 2010. To do otherwise is a recipe for further disillusionment and declining civic participation.
Senator-Elect Gianaris Named New DSCC Chair
By Mike Connery on 12/28/2010 @ 10:50 AM
In case you missed it amidst all the holiday hoopla, Senate Majority Conference Leader John Sampson announced last week that he has appointed Senator-Elect Michael Gianaris as the new Chair of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee. You can read the official announcement here.
Senator-Elect Gianaris appeared on Capital Tonight with Liz Benjamin recently to discuss his appointment and his plans for a leaner, meaner DSCC to help retake the majority in 2011.
Five Reasons Senate Dems are Good for New York's Women: Reason #5
By Mike Connery on 10/04/2010 @ 01:11 PM
Cross posted from 16% and Rising.
The eight Democratic women already in the Senate have shown what a difference women in the legislature make for women in New York. In the two years since the Democrats took control of the Senate, the Senate has passed almost 50 bills on issues of concern to New York’s women. These eight women are also up for re-election this year, and so we’re sharing 5 reasons we need to keep them working for New Yorkers.
Reason #5: Stopping Domestic Violence.
The Senate Democrats passed twenty bills designed to support domestic violence survivors as they reestablish their lives in safety since taking control of the Senate 2 years ago. After years of delay, pressing problems in the order of protection system were finally addressed, providing survivors with more comprehensive coverage with shorter delays and greater coordination between criminal justice agencies. Prosecutors finally have a law with which they can successfully prosecute strangulation cases, previously a gaping loophole in New York’s assault laws. Domestic violence survivors are now protected from employment discrimination, and would have been protected from housing discrimination if not for the Governor’s veto. Several measures to prevent survivors’ new address from being inadvertently disclosed to their abusers passed the Senate—including a new law that allows domestic violence survivors to vote without fear of their contact information being disclosed—although further action is needed in this area.
Five Reasons Senate Dems are Good for New York's Women: Reason #4
By Mike Connery on 10/04/2010 @ 12:05 PM
Cross posted from 16% and Rising
The eight Democratic women already in the Senate have shown what a difference women in the legislature make for women in New York. In the two years since the Democrats took control of the Senate, the Senate has passed almost 50 bills on issues of concern to New York’s women. These eight women are also up for re-election this year, and so we’re sharing 5 reasons we need to keep them working for New Yorkers.
Reason #4: Reproductive and Maternal Health.
A number of important laws were passed in support of women’s health and healthy babies in the two years since the Senate Democrats took the majority. Penalties were strengthened for those who would try to use violence to prevent women from accessing reproductive health care. A Breastfeeding Bill of Rights ensures that women, not hospitals, have control over what their babies are fed in the first few hours of their lives, and that women have accurate information about their feeding options. New Yorkers will have greater access to midwives, more information regarding breast reconstruction after cancer-related surgery, and continued availability of rape crisis services thanks to the work of the Senate Democrats.
Women Candidates Call on Opponents to Disavow Paladino
By Mike Connery on 09/30/2010 @ 10:11 AM
Cross-posted from 16% and Rising.
Our women candidates like Didi Barrett, Joanne Yepsen, Robin Wilt, and Jennifer Maertz, have been calling on their Republican opponents to disavow the Republican candidate for governor.
Why? Well, besides the racist, sexist and pornographic emails that he made a habit of sending around before he decided to run for office, Carl Paladino is a terrifying extremist when it comes to women’s health. He believes abortion should be illegal—even in cases of rape and incest. He wants to defund reproductive health clinics, which provide hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers with basic preventative care every year, simply because they also provide information about abortion.
So far, none of the Republican candidates has been willing to stand up and say that kind of extremism (“intemperate” emails, Senator Saland, really?) is not what New York stands for and it is not what New York wants.
That silence is terrifying. We need women like Didi Barrett, Joanne Yepsen, Robin Wilt and Jennifer Maertz in the State Senate to stand up loud and clear for New York women, since the incumbent Republicans won’t.
Check out what Pro-Choice NY has to say about Carl Paladino—and ask yourself what we can do to make sure that his brand of extremist politics stays out of New York.
Campaign Roundup: Klein: We're Working with Cuomo
By Mike Connery on 09/28/2010 @ 04:45 PM
DAILY CAMPAIGN ROUNDUP . . . Our daily roundup of campaign news.- Klein: We're Coordinating with Cuomo, He's Helping - In a conference call with reporters today, New York Senate Dems Chair Jeff Klein discussed what it will take to grow the Democratic Majority. Klein sited a need to "localize" races, and working with Andrew Cuomo's campaign on a joint field effort.
- Ball Fails to Show for Debate Schedule - Plan Putnam reports that Assemblyman Greg Ball failed to show up at a scheduled meeting to negotiate the details of seven public debates agreed to by his campaign and that of his opponent Mike Kaplowitz. This is not the first time Ball has been declared MIA in the district.
- Republican vote to split three ways in November: Appleton endorsed by Democracy For America : In SD-59, the State Supreme Court reinstated David DiPietro's name on the Tea Party line, bringing the number of GOP candidates in the race to three. That could spell good news for Democrat Cynthia Appleton, whose campaign was recently endorsed by Democracy For America.
- Eye on Albany Spotlight: Senator David Valesky, 49th Senate District - Eye on Albany finishes a lengthy interview with Sen. David Valesky. Watch the 2nd and 3rd installments of this video series here.
Five Reasons Senate Dems are Good for New York's Women: Reason #3
By Mike Connery on 09/28/2010 @ 10:11 AM
The eight Democratic women already in the Senate have shown what a difference women in the legislature make for women in New York. In the two years since the Democrats took control of the Senate, the Senate has passed almost 50 bills on issues of concern to New York’s women. These eight women are also up for re-election this year, and so we’re sharing 5 reasons we need to keep them working for New Yorkers.
Reason #3: Domestic Worker's Bill of Rights.
Domestic workers were left out of the national fair labor laws when they were first passed in the 1930s, and have never been included by any state or federal law until this year. New York became the first state to grant basic wage and hour rights to the thousands of workers, most of whom are women of color, who clean, care for children, and assist the elderly in private homes across the state.
Under the bill, these workers are entitled to at least one day off a week, overtime for hours worked over 40 in a week (44 if the worker lives in the home) and three vacation days a year after a year of work. The Senate Democrats are very proud to have led the way in ending 75 years of injustice, and will be paying close attention to a study, commissioned by the law, on how effective collective bargaining rights could be created for domestic workers.
Cross posted from 16% and Rising.
Campaign Roundup: Kaplowitz Makes DLCC Priority List
By Mike Connery on 09/27/2010 @ 04:45 PM
DAILY CAMPAIGN ROUNDUP … Our daily roundup of campaign news.- NY Senate Biggest Race Nobody's Watching - The Associated Press takes notice that the race to control the NY State Senate is the most high-stakes question on the ballot in 2010.
- Kaplowitz Makes DLCC Priority List - Democrat Mike Kaplowitz, who is challenging Greg Ball for the seat vacated by Vincent Leibell, was declared a priority race by the DLCC.
- Enthusiastic Crowd at Yepsen Fund-Raiser - The Saratoga Business Journal takes an in-depth look at a recent fundraiser for State Senate candidate Joanne Yepsen. US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Rep Joe Tonko, and local county chairs all attended the event in support of Yepsen's candidacy.
- Aubertine Hosts Kick-Off Event at Oswego Headquarters - Senator Darrel Aubertine held a campaign kick-off rally in Oswego, where local officials noted that “He is the best candidate in the race and that is not because he is a Democrat—it is because he is a good and honest person."
Volunteer this Week
By Mike Connery on 09/27/2010 @ 03:30 PM
Volunteer with some of our women candidates this week!
CAPITAL REGION:
Phone banks for Susan Savage
Weekdays starting at 5pm
95 Dahlia St Rotterdam NY 12306
Contact: Kelly Quist 518-866-1147
www.susansavageforsenate.com
Meet and Greet for Didi Barrett
Thursday, September 30
Hyde Park, NY at the home of John Scileppi & Lynn Ruggiero.
For more information, please call Valerie Maginsky at 845-233-5577.
Phone Bank and Canvass for Didi Barrett
We will be having phone banking at all of our offices on 10:00am to 8:30pm. We will also have canvasses launching from all of our locations. To schedule a time or for more information about phone banking or canvassing, the following field organizers should be contacted:
- Wendy Williams (Poughkeepsie
Office)
196 Main Street, Poughkeepsie, NY
845-380-4810 or wendy@didiforsenate.com - Robina Ward (Columbia County
Office)
731 Warren Street, Hudson, NY
518-929-2580 or robina@didiforsenate.com - Valerie Maginsky (Northern Dutchess
Office)
4068 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY
845-527-0495 or valerie@didiforsenate.com - Tony Dinkins (Southern Dutchess Office)
518-331-1684 or tony@didiforsenate.com
Phone Bank or Canvass for Joanne Yepsen
5pm (All week)
at 5 Broadway (The Cannon Building)
, Troy, NY
Literature Drop
12pm and 5:30pm
Tuesday 9/28
219 Broadway
, Saratoga Springs
Please contact Chandler Bellanca at 518-681-1586 or by email Chandler@yepsenforsenate.com
LONG ISLAND:
Phoning and Canvassing for Jennifer Maertz
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 5:00-8:00
Maertz for State Senate Headquarters
130 Middle Country Road, Middle Island, NY 11953
Contact Jonathan Pullum at campaign headquarters (631) 605-6112 or Jonathan.maertzforsenate@gmail.com
WESTCHESTER:
Women for Suzi Oppenheimer Phone Bank
Tuesday and Thursday 5:30-8:30
2090 Boston Post Road, Larchmont
Contact Vanessa Clifford (617) 877-1322 or vanessa.cliff@gmail.com
WCLA-Choice Matters to Endorse:
Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer & Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins
Tuesday, September 28
10 am (volunteers should show up at 9:45 am)
Choice Matters HQ
235 Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains, NY
Looking for pro-choice women to stand with Suzi and Andrea as they proudly accept the WCLA-Choice Matters endorsement.
Ladies Night Out with Suzi
Wednesday, September 29th 5:00pm -7:00pm
The first of many nights where Suzi is inviting you to meet at her headquarters on 916 E Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck before going door to door with Senator Oppenheimer.
Please RSVP to Vanessa Clifford 914-295-0185 or vanessa.cliff@gmail.com
Cross posted from 16% and Rising.
Five Reasons Senate Dems are Good for New York's Women: Reason #2
By Mike Connery on 09/27/2010 @ 03:30 PM
The eight Democratic women already in the Senate have shown what a difference women in the legislature make for women in New York. In the two years since the Democrats took control of the Senate, the Senate has passed almost 50 bills on issues of concern to New York’s women. These eight women are also up for re-election this year, and so we’re sharing 5 reasons we need to keep them working for New Yorkers.
Reason #2: Minority- and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs).
A study issued in 2010 found that state agencies were contracting with Minority- and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) at a lower rate than expected given the number of available, highly qualified MWBEs. The Senate Democrats responded quickly with four bills that greatly strengthened the state’s procurement and contracting processes. Many more small businesses will now have access to business with the state, increasing the diversity and the competition in state contracting.
Most importantly, state agencies and public authorities will now have goals for improving their use of MWBEs, allowing the public to track how well the state is following through on its promises to women-owned small businesses.
Cross posted from 16% and Rising.
Five Reasons Senate Dems are Good for New York's Women: Reason #1
By Mike Connery on 09/22/2010 @ 10:05 AM
The eight Democratic women already in the Senate have shown what a difference women in the legislature make for women in New York. In the two years since the Democrats took control of the Senate, the Senate has passed almost 50 bills on issues of concern to New York’s women. These eight women are also up for re-election this year, and so we’re sharing 5 reasons we need to keep them working for New Yorkers.
Reason #1: Divorce Reform.
New York became the last state in the nation to allow a divorce without assigning the blame to one party (or requiring a one year separation after all financial and custodial matters had been settled). While a huge relief to thousands of women who want to be able to go through the painful divorce process without the added humiliation of being forced to parade detailed, competing accounts of misbehavior through the court system, no-fault divorce may be a life-saver for domestic violence survivors. New York’s archaic fault laws were being used by abusers to keep women trapped in dangerous marriages—for seven years in at least one case.
Equally importantly, two additional laws evened out the balance of power in cases where one of the spouses makes substantially more money than the other partner. A spouse who makes substantially more can now expect to pay the legal fees for the lower-income spouse from the beginning of the divorce process, unless a judge finds that there is a good reason why that should not be the case. This law clarifies current law, and will make sure that the divorce is litigated fairly. The second establishes a formula to guide judges in establishing how income is shared between the two parties while the divorce is being processed if one spouse makes substantially more than the other. This is an area where current practice is wildly inconsistent and has resulted in many women, especially domestic violence survivors, receiving far less financial support than they should have.
Cross posted from 16% and Rising.
Senate Dems Launch 16% and Rising
By Mike Connery on 09/21/2010 @ 10:05 AM
Women currently make up only 16% of the New York State Senate—that’s only 10 out of 62. The only states with legislatures more heavily dominated by men? Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.
This year, that could all change. Twelve of the Democrats challenging Republicans for their State Senate seats are women. In fact, over half of this year’s Democratic candidates running for State Senate are women. That’s the most female candidates we’ve had in a single election - ever - and they represent a tremendous opportunity to remake the New York State Senate.
If they all won, they would join our 10 sitting female Senators (8 Democratic and 2 Republican) to make the State Senate more than a third female. Research suggests that when women reach critical mass in a group, the whole group dynamic changes. There’s more collaboration. There’s more listening. There’s a new approach to problem solving. Wouldn’t it be remarkable if we could change the whole dynamic of Albany by electing these 12 women?
To support these women and their candidacies, today the New York Senate Dems launched 16% and Rising - a blog of, for and by the women running to remake the state senate. This blog will be a place to learn about these exciting female candidates and to find out how you can help them change Albany. It will also highlight the great work of our 8 sitting female Democratic Senators and the rest of the Democratic Majority, who won some important victories for New York’s women this year.
These candidates have a record of standing up to politicians more interested in helping out their friends than helping out their communities. They are women like Susan Savage, Joanne Yepsen, and Pam Mackesey, who have fought to make county government functional. They are women like Kathleen Joy and Cynthia Appleton, known for being fierce advocates for the towns and cities they serve. They are women like Robin Wilt and Didi Barrett, who have run successful businesses and not-for-profits. They are women who know how to get things done.
We hope that you will join us in raising the number of women in the State Senate. 16% is only a starting point—let’s raise it to 35% this year!
Siena Poll: Two-Thirds of New Yorkers Reject GOP Control of the Senate
By Mike Connery on 08/18/2010 @ 03:24 PM
The latest poll from Siena College shows an anti-incumbent mood in New York directed primarily at upstate Republicans and the Party of No.
According to the poll's findings, 67% of New Yorkers reject a GOP-controlled Senate, preferring to see the Democrats make gains in the chamber (33%) or see the Senate remain closely divided (34%) among the parties. Anti-incumbent sentiment was directed primarily at upstate Republicans, where 58% of voters preferred "someone else" to their current representative, vs. 52% in the suburbs and just 43% in New York City.
Stan Greenberg of Siena puts the numbers into perspective:
“Republicans and independent voters are much more negative toward their incumbent senators than are Democrats, and upstaters and downstate suburban voters are much more negative than are voters in New York City."
This is the third poll from Siena to show that New Yorkers are overwhelmingly ready to kick Republican incumbents out of office. This poll is the latest in a string of bad news for Republicans, including lackluster fundraising numbers, a small and underwhelming class of candidates, and a particularly vicious and divisive primary battle in SD-40.
New Yorkers remember well what four decades of Republican deals, deficits and dysfunction did to our state. They don't want to return to the bad-old-days and are ready to empower Democrats to continue our work of reforming Albany.
Full cross tabs embedded below:
GOP County Chair Implying Republican Senators Should Not Seek Reelection?
By Mike Connery on 06/29/2010 @ 04:43 PM
Yesterday, Westchester County Republican Party chair Doug Colety absurdly requested that Democratic Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer not run for re-election this fall. His reasoning? A recent Quinnipiac University poll that found around 80 percent of voters are “somewhat dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” with the way things are going in the state.
Maybe Colety should be more familiar with recent polling before he make requests that reek of desperation. If he was, he would know that the latest polling Siena polling showed an anti-incumbent mood in New York – one that was directed primarily at upstate Republicans and the Party of No.
According to the poll's findings, 66% of New Yorkers reject a GOP-controlled Senate, preferring to see the Democrats make gains in the chamber (34%) or see the Senate remain closely divided (32%) among the parties. Anti-incumbent sentiment was directed primarily at upstate Republicans, where 58% of voters preferred "someone else" to their current representative, vs. 51% in the suburbs and just 40% in New York City.
On the generic ballot, 44% preferred a Democratic Senator to just 26% Republican. Stan Greenberg of Siena put the numbers into perspective: “Democrats are inclined to re-elect their incumbent state senator by a 47-40 percent margin, while Republican voters prefer ‘someone else’ by an overwhelming 60-23 percent margin,” Greenberg said. “Upstate, where 20 of 25 senators are Republican, only 28 percent want to re-elect their senator and 58 percent prefer ‘someone else.’
This not the first poll to suggest frustration with the GOP. This is the second poll from Siena (and third poll overall) to show that New Yorkers are overwhelmingly ready to kick Republican incumbents out of office.
By Colety’s ‘logic,’ every Republican Senator should fail to run for reelection this year- after all, polls show that people are upset and that they are more dissatisfied with Republicans.
It’s not too often we find ourselves agreeing with a GOP county chair- but if he wants to wipe the November ballots of all Republican incumbents, we wouldn’t put up much of a fight.
