Karen Scharff, Executive Director of Citizen Action of NY, said:
We called on Sen. Jeff Klein and Governor Cuomo to respond to Trump’s extreme, right-wing agenda by challenging Republicans’ hateful rhetoric and enacting real solutions to the growing inequality facing New Yorkers. Instead of unifying with Democrats to fight back, Jeff Klein and the IDC have decided to empower the party of Trump.
State Senate Republicans have pledged support for a Trump administration that’s threatening to tear millions of families apart, take away health care coverage for millions of Americans and destroy Medicare and Social Security, the two bedrocks of support for senior citizens and the disabled.
Senator Klein’s claim that his move is aimed at accomplishing progressive goals doesn’t hold up to scrutiny when so much more could be accomplished by a unified Working Families-Democratic majority. The piecemeal legislative concessions that the IDC wins from its alliance with Republicans don’t rise to meet the challenges our communities are facing.
The only thing the IDC gains by collaborating with the Republicans is personal political power for themselves. Jeff Klein’s and the IDC’s political power-trip is putting everyday New Yorkers in harm’s way.
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