With Governor Cuomo and the Assembly Democrats on board for an ostensibly non-partisan redistricting reform law, the fight is now in the State Senate. The Republican hypocrites, many of whom went on the record before the election in support of a non-partisan, anti-gerrymandering redistricting law are now blocking the law from debate in the Senate and using a pathetic delay tactic to say that they are trying to end gerrymandering with a constitutional amendment. That sounds great, but remember that a constitutional amendment needs to be passed in two consecutive legislative sessions and then put to a referendum, aka no change until the 2020 census. So this Saturday is the time to call out the Senate Republicans for their obvious delay tactics and breaking of a campaign promise:
This Saturday's event will be held in Nassau County, where New York State Senator Jack Martins, a Republican who ran as a "Hero of Reform" in support of non-partisan redistricting, has since gone back on his campaign promises. We'll be talking to his constituents and to local media about the Senator's pledge and about the importance of redistricting reform to democracy in New York State. Join us and make your voice heard!
As you may remember, Jack Martins barely defeated Craig Johnson in 2010, by only a few hundred votes. I bet at least a few hundred of the voters in his district took his campaign promises at his word and didn't expect them to be bald-faced lies. So this Saturday there is going to be a press event led by the New Roosevelt Institute and co-sponsored by several groups, including Act Now NY, (full disclosure: I am on the Organizing Committee for Act Now NY), who will help arrange transportation from NYC to Nassau this Saturday via buses from Madison Square Garden. You can RSVP at the link- hope to see you there and we can't let the Senate GOP get away with this! |
