State Republicans Join With Dissident Democrats to Control Senate (New York State)

[FarCenter]

New York Republicans joined forces with a group of dissident Democrats on Tuesday to form what they called a “bipartisan governing coalition” to run the State Senate, preventing the Democratic Party from taking control after Democrats appeared to have won a numerical majority of Senate seats in last month’s elections.

The Senate majority leader, Dean G. Skelos, a Long Island Republican, said he would share authority over the chamber with Senator Jeffrey D. Klein, a Bronx Democrat who defected from his caucus nearly two years ago to form the Independent Democratic Conference.

The arrangement, which the two men outlined in a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, would move Albany into uncharted territory. It would take effect in January, when lawmakers are scheduled to return to the capital for next year’s legislative session.

Mr. Skelos and Mr. Klein said the Senate would adopt new rules that formally recognized the Independent Democratic Conference, which has five members, as a third caucus in the Senate, in addition to the Republicans’ and Democrats’. Mr. Skelos and Mr. Klein would have “joint and equal authority” over the bills that the Senate takes up, committee assignments, appointments and state budget negotiations. They would take turns serving as the temporary president of the Senate, a position defined in the State Constitution, alternating in the position every two weeks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/05/nyregion/malcolm-smith-defects-joining-dissenting-democrats.html

[One of the 99]

1. And our DINO governor did nothing to stop this.

Last time I vote for him.

[FarCenter]

2. What should he have done?

[One of the 99]

3. He could have endorsed Democratic candidates to be begin with

but refused to do so. Cuomo is a phoney and a DINO.

[Mr.Turnip]

6. Cuomo wants to be all bipartisan and work with an R state senate as cred if he runs for President

But he seems to have forgotten that in order to get to the general election he has to win the DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY, and stuff like this just writes ads against him on its own. He also seems to have forgotten that the high approval ratings he's gotten through all his triangulation aren't going to actually to be much beneift outside of New York itself.

Seriously if Cuomo doesn't want to be the leader of the NY Democratic Party which desperately needs a strong leader as we've had problems like this in the State Senate for years then he should run as an Indie or something.

As for the senators shame on them, this doesn't seem to be a particularly ideological move as these guys span from Super DINO to kinda Progressive instead its just a goddamn shameless power grab, they get to hold everyone by the balls because they can decide the balance of power whenever the hell they want so now im sure they'll all get plush assignments and chairmanships.

As incompetent as the NY Senate Dem leadership is sometimes Cuomo is still supposed to be the Party Leader, allowing this and possibly encouraging it is shameful.

[Renew Deal]

4. Why is there always a circus with Senate Democrats in NY?

They need to find qualified primary challengers for these five people.

[brooklynite]

5. Before you reflexively denounce the IDC "turncoats"...

...be aware that the terms of the power-sharing agreement included open votes on raising the minimum wage, campaign finance reform, and restricting stop-and-frisk policies.

The NY Democratic Senate leadership has been incompetent at best (cutting a power deal with a different subset of Democratic members for purely naked power, rather than specific policies) and could never deliver a successful vote on Marriage Equality. I'll take a coalition of competence over Party hacks any day.