Reply #68: "NY Republicans got something they wanted."

[Maven]

Wow, you are really off base there. NY Republicans have opposed this legislation for years now. In '09, every Republican Senator (and not a few Democrats) voted against it. As I said, the effort to make this look like "no big deal" is a poor reflection on the denizens of this forum including yourself. You really should try to keep in mind that the Democratic Party is bigger than one politician. I know it's difficult for you. The fact is, there are leadership styles that work in this political climate and leadership styles that result in Dems ceding more and more ground and veering ever rightward. Instead of pointing to others' successes and calling them meaningless because they make for a harsh comparison with a certain person--and I understand you've invested a lot in him, as we all have--you should ask what we can learn from something that worked. The fact is, you always want to make it about "personality" or irrational hatred of Obama but it's exactly the opposite. Obama has earned his own reputation as a conciliator of the right and the corporate establishment, and it's getting us nowhere fast. And we really don't have any more time or money to waste, on several fronts.

I don't agree with everything Andrew Cuomo stands for. But to me, the methods he used here are a lesson about what works at this point in time. It's not time to be the "leader of everyone" and espouse muddled policy positions that are calculated to make sure no one in an expensive suit dislikes you too much. That's pointless and it's only making the situation worse. It's time to stand for something clear and unequivocal, to do so firmly, to use aggressive strategy and push every button until we get it.

The end.