Has the Train Left the Station...?

Same old same old (2.67 / 3)

You'll have to pardon me for not being terribly excited over Spitzer's plans to take over the state Senate, when it appears to involve the same old tricks we've seen before: special elections and party-switching. Instead of actually building the Democratic Party upstate, apparently the strategy is to recruit Republicans. We have seen this before.  More strategies that don't actually engage the people.

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by: NYCO @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 13:22:39 PM UTC

I agree... (4.00 / 2)

...IF this is an endgame strategy. I happen to believe it's a step in a series of moves to encourage retirements and special elections.

I certainly don't want the old boss to be the new boss, but I think there is a larger, multi-pronged approach going on here.

We've got some work ahead of us.

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by: NYBri @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 13:33:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Maybe (0.00 / 0)

I get that more from some of the other candidate names mentioned in the article

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by: SteveWFP @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 21:45:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

the tactics are dull (4.00 / 1)

but there's a clear change in the strategy.  The mutual non-aggression pacts between the governor and the legislature appear to be dead.

Hopefully they'll stay dead, influencing the 2008 elections as well, and that will help get New York politics moving again.

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by: simonstl @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 13:56:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Your critique presumes (4.00 / 1)

That this is the end, rather than the beginning, of Spitzer's strategy. Until 2008, special elections and party switching are all we've got. But if we take control of the Senate before 2008, then the task of real recruitment and party-building will be far easier. After all, it's much easier to get people to want to join a majority.

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by: DavidNYC @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 20:24:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I think he's refering to (0.00 / 0)

recruiting Republicans to switch parties and run in 2008.

And making plans based on the Senate switching hands before 2008 is putting the cart before the horse.  It might happen, but that's not a given.

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by: SteveWFP @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 21:49:26 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

It seems to me (4.00 / 1)

It seems to me, though, that people would sooner vote for the Republican they know than the Republican they don't.

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by: NYCO @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 23:08:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

usually true (0.00 / 0)

but not if Spitzer poured in a lot of time and effort.  Then again, it's crazy to me that you'd go to those lengths to elect someone and then turn around and do it again to replace them.

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by: SteveWFP @ Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 02:41:14 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

David.... (0.00 / 0)

Party building and reform are LONG TERM processes...

This is just step one in a long journey.

We've got some work ahead of us.

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by: NYBri @ Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 00:41:24 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

gotta start somewhere (0.00 / 0)

better to recruit the candidates you want and use their election campaigns to build power than to elect people you don't like and have to replace them, imho.

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by: SteveWFP @ Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 02:46:24 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm not at all saying that I agree with this approach... (4.00 / 3)

...in fact, I hate the thought of Republicans turning just to make the Senate blue.

I'm simply pointing out that this is what seems to be happening...and it WILL change the landscape, that's for sure.

But what would REALLY get me ...is if some rep. turns and then the DSCC dumps tons of cash into their 2008 race to keep them in power...

THAT would piss me off.

We've got some work ahead of us.

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by: NYBri @ Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 04:25:12 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

This would also put the Replicans in a tight spot money wise... (4.00 / 3)

It's going to force them to have to spend money in a district that otherwise is "safe."  This is like the House races in 06.  It's going to force the Republican party to divert funds from more competitive districts into what used to be safe seats.  Even if they don't manage to grab this seat they might grab another one that's more evenly divided.

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by: RobNYC @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 14:57:05 PM UTC

Agreed, (0.00 / 0)

a statewide strategy on the scope of Dean's 50-state Strategy seems to be in order. Just showing up and fielding candidates is half the battle. In a previous thread, someone alluded to Bruno's largess in the previous election and how  this would not have occurred had he faced a challenger.

On the federal level, though Peter King won reelection by 12 points, he had to spend over $2 M in what was deemed a "safe seat" by most analysts. This is money he couldn't give to the NRCC or other candidates, and time spent defending his own district in stead of stumping elsewhere.

Let's hope we get a lot more challengers this cycle; it looks like Spitzer is at least interested in the "challenging business" period, which is a step forward.

Peter King writes me Nasty Letters.

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by: tzfoley @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 16:02:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Aye, I think that's the key here (0.00 / 0)

The state party is barely holding on, and raising funds for such a down and out party is going to be perhaps more difficult than in years past.  So the money gets spread out thinner, and we run in more races than usual, and they can't cover the districts that they have to hold on to to stay in power.

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by: Jrathman @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 16:04:12 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Tim Green (0.00 / 0)

I dig his first name, but I don't know enough about his politics to say whether I'd fully support his candidacy. Also, is this actually a red district, or just a popular incumbent?

If this is a swing-bluish district, I don't think we should be luring R's over, no matter how popular they may be locally. If this district does lean red though, I don't really have a problem with party-switching. Sometimes it's necessary to be a little pragmatic/Machiavellian in this politics game, especially in a state as shady as New York.

Bottom line is, the majority party leadership determines the legislative agenda. Therefore, in the short-term (as Brian duly notes) it makes sense to attain a majority, taking seats in traditionally R districts as necessary.

If the quality of your leadership is high, and his/her progressivism intact, a progressive course will be followed, and the more divisive conservative positions won't even see the light of day.

Peter King writes me Nasty Letters.

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by: tzfoley @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 16:22:20 PM UTC

LOL (0.00 / 0)

DeFrancisco is probably more liberal than Green is!

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by: NYCO @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 19:43:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

er, Open Thread? (0.00 / 0)

Can we have one please? :)
Also, how come the TAP logo is no longer a link to the home page? I much enjoyed that link..

Peter King writes me Nasty Letters.

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by: tzfoley @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 16:53:17 PM UTC

that link got lost (0.00 / 0)

in the migration to a newer version of soapblox a few days ago. it's fixed now. (i missed it too)

oh and there's a fresh open thread for ya. go nuts.

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 17:28:23 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Tim Green? (4.00 / 1)

Yeah I can see it now....the Steamroller recruits him to run as a Democrat and then is told how to vote.

Timmy does a Nancy Lorraine -- all the while yapping Ball-like about how dysfunctional Albany's is for upstaters, etc...yeah ... that is a long-term party building proposition!

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by: ElPocho @ Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 05:54:15 AM UTC

DeFrancisco vs. Green (4.00 / 2)

I can't decide if this matchup would be a Republican primary that Democrats get to vote in, or a Democratic primary that Republicans get to vote in.

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by: NYCO @ Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 14:02:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

A Pyramid Scheme? (4.00 / 1)

The run against DeFrancisco by Green makes sense if you want take out one of the biggest impediments Destiny has politically.  After all Congel is one of Green's mentors...and believe me this SMELLS!

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by: ElPocho @ Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 23:20:55 PM UTC

Thanks for the heads-up (0.00 / 0)

Did not know THAT connection... now that I do, I think I'm pretty worried about it.  Thanks for mentioning it.

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by: robinia @ Wed Feb 21, 2007 at 00:18:26 AM UTC

[ Parent ]