IDC 101: THE TOP TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

THE IDC

June 2017

#1: What’s The Deal with the IDC?• The Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) is a group

of 8 Senators who ran as Democrats but are in a “majority coalition” with the Republicans and SimchaFelder (a Brooklyn Democratic Senator who caucuses with the GOP but is not in the IDC)

#2: Who Are the IDC 8?First: The Original Four org. 2010

The Head Honcho: Jeff Klein (Bronx)

DIANE SAVINO (Staten Is.) DAVE VALESKY (Onondaga) DAVID CARLUCCI(Rockland)

The Rest of the IDC 8: the Newbies

TONY AVELLA (Queens)Joined IDC 2014

MARISOL ALCANTARA (Northern Manhattan)Joined IDC 2016

JESSE HAMILTON (Brooklyn)Joined IDC 2016

JOSE PERALTA(Queens)joined IDC 2017

#3 IDC Funny MathHow Does the IDC Affect the Balance of Power in the Senate?

63 Senate Seats Total=32 Elected Democrats > 31 GOP BUT!31 GOP + 1 Felder + 8 IDC = 40 “Majority Coalition” 63 total – 40 M.C.= 23 mainline Democrats40 “Majority Coalition” > 23 mainline Democrats

IN THE NEW YORK SENATE, THE MAJORITY IS IN THE MINORITY, AND THE MINORITY IS IN THE

MAJORITY!

#4: The Simcha QuestionQ: Is Simcha Felder the reason for the GOP majority?A: NO! “Insteadofsendingletterstoother

DemocratsandproducingfancyvideostomakeusbelieveyouareadvocatingforissuesimportanttoDemocrats,IsuggestyouputasideanypersonalconflictsyoumayhavewiththeSenateDemocratsand

unconditionallyandpubliclyrejointheDemocrats…IwouldwelcomeunityifiteffectuatesmyprioritytohavethegreatestpositiveimpactonmyconstituentsandallNewYorkers.”

-LettertoJeffKleinfromSimchaFelder,May24,2017

The Thing About Simcha:He Never Puts All his Eggs in One Basket

#5: If the IDC Senators are “Pragmatic Progressives,” What’s the Problem?

• Myth: IDC claim to be “Pragmatic Progressives” who “reach across the aisle,” don’t have to “sit on the sidelines,” and this is how they can get things done

• Reality: IDC empowers the GOP, who control Senate committees and the agenda. Thus, under Majority Leader John Flanagan’s stewardship, progressive legislation DIES IN COMMITTEE (or, in the rare event it reaches a floor vote and passes, is significantly watered down)

#6: Bills Killed by IDCA few bills that died in Senate committee this year:✔ NY Health Act✔ Reproductive Health Act✔ NY Liberty Act✔ Child Victims Act✔ Voting Rights Legislation✔ Ethics Reform✔ Climate & Community Protection Act✔ GENDA✔ DREAM Act✔ & much more!

#7: The REAL Reasons for the IDC

MONEY, PERKS, & POWER

$ MONEY $ Cash Rules Everything Around IDC

– Major Funders: Hedge Funds, Charter Schools & Real Estate

– SICC (Senate Independence Campaign Com.) is SICK– IDC & Klein have more $$ than Democrats or

Republicans– More Pork to Hand Out to Constituents

Jeff Klein Loves to Hand Out Oversized Checks All Over his District!

Perks & Power• Perks: Bigger Offices, Larger Staffs, Committee Chairs• Power: 3 MEN IN A ROOM BECOMES 4: Cuomo,

Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Flanagan………& Jeff Klein??

KLEIN AND BFF FLANAGAN KLEIN AND BESTIE CUOMO

#8: IDC’s No Good, Very Bad 2017 Part A

• More Money, More Problems: LULUGATE• Peralta, Savino and Valesky (along with 4 GOP

Senators) revealed to receive lulus (stipends) for vice chair positions and to have falsely reported they were chairs to NY Comptroller

• Currently Under Investigationby NY AG, EDNY, Comptroller

#8: IDC’s No Good, Very Bad 2017 Part B

• “Nobody Likes Us, Everybody Hates Us” -IDC

Which Prominent New York Democratic Leader is Missing from this Page?

#9: Andy, You My Only Friend“Look, we’ve had a unified Democratic Government in Albany…. It wasn’t extraordinarily successful.” - Andrew Cuomo on whether he’d like aDemocratic Majority in the Senate, May 3, 2017

“The point is [the IDC is] growing. This is an institutionalization of their coalition, and I think they’re right.” –AC, September 16, 2016

“The Governor was not a passive observer during the formation of [the IDC]. He was “deeply involved,” they say, and “absolutely” encouraged the marriage that allowed the Republicans to remain in leadership even after the election of a Democratic majority.” Politico, September 2, 2014

#10: You (yes, YOU) Can Fight the IDC!

• Educate Your Neighbors (neighbor-to-neighbor campaign upcoming at makeNYtrueblue.org)

• Call, Write, Visit, Tweet at, leave FB comments for IDC Senators to remind them we want a Democratic Majority in the State Senate

• Contribute $$ No IDC NY’s efforts (noidcny.org)• Sign Albany Solidarity Pledge• Volunteer for primary challengers the IDC• Join True Blue NY and NoIDCNY!