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malsperanzaI've been hoping that with the NY state government finally in Democratic hands, after 40 years of appalling gridlock, this would be the next state after Connecticut to revise marriage laws to permit same-sex marriage.
Until this week, I've felt that we were very likely to get such a law through the pipeline swiftly--with a progressive governor and a Dem majority in Albany.
But this article in today's NY Times is cause for alarm:
The battle for control of the State Senate continues. Senator Carl Kruger, one of the three Democrats who have refused to backtheir party’s pick for Senate majority leader, said on Tuesday evening that his dissident group would not make a decision on whom to support until the newLegislature was seated in January.
Mr. Kruger, of Brooklyn, said that he and his two colleagues — Senator Rubén Díaz Sr. and Senator Pedro Espada Jr., both of the Bronx — would prefer that a Latino lawmaker lead the chamber.
“Our preference would be that there be a Hispanic Democrat as the leader ina bipartisan chamber,” Mr. Kruger said after the three men dined together inthe Bronx. “That’s not necessarily who’s on the right or left; it’s who best can do the job.”
The comments came a week after Democrats won 32 of 62 seats in the Senate,achieving a majority for the first time in more than 40 years. The rest of the Senate Democratic caucus has reaffirmed its support for Malcolm A. Smith, the current Senate minority leader, and are becoming exasperated with the actions of the dissenters.
Mr. Kruger and Mr. Díaz also said on Tuesday that they would seek a statewide referendum on same-sex marriage as a way of forgoing a legislative vote. The issue has been a sticking point for Mr. Díaz, a Pentacostal minister who has vowed not to support any leadership candidate who brings a same-sex marriage bill to the Senate floor.
Mr. Kruger said that his group would beconsulting with experts to come up with their own platform and then to decide which potential leader could meet their standards. Mr. Espada and Mr. Díaz have said that they expect the Democrats to control the chamber next year, but Mr.Kruger said on Tuesday that both Mr. Smith and Dean G. Skelos, a Long Island Republican and the current Senate majority leader, “are two individuals that have not necessarily taken themselves out of the running.”
Article posted here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/nyregion/12albany.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=diaz&st=cse&oref=slogin
Now, this is just a sleazy power play by Senators Díaz and Kruger, with the help of Senator-elect Pedro Espada (who has had more than a few ethics problems over the years), and as such is entirely typical of Albany. But gay marriage is being used to set liberals in opposition to conservatives within the Democratic party. The gamble of these creeps is that most legislators would prefer to alienate gay people than to alienate New York State's huge Hispanic population. Diaz is also an anti-abortion activist.
So my fellow New Yorkers: here's a chance to make a huge difference fast. Contact your state senator and Assembly member and make it clear that she or he must not support Díaz, and that you want to see the legislature pass a same-sex marriage bill this session, without the slimy manipulation-tactics of a California-style referendum. Further, let Kruger, Díaz, and Espada know that you will campaign actively against them in future elections, and will help to rally a statewide effort to unseat them if they try to use gay marriage as a wedge issue.
Any of you who are in Kruger, Espada, or Díaz's district: This especially means you. Elections to state office are won on small voter numbers: activism at this level can be extremely effective.
Sen. Diaz (South Bronx, 32nd District)
diaz@senate.state.ny.us
Sen. Ruben Diaz
District Office
1733 East 172nd Street
Bronx, NY 10472
Tel: (718) 991-3161
Fax: (718) 991-0309
Albany Office
304 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
Tel: (518) 455-2511
Fax: (518) 426-6945
website: http://www.nyssenate32.com/32/Default.aspx
Sen. Kruger (south central Brooklyn, 27th District)
kruger@senate.state.ny.us
Sen. Carl Kruger
District Office
Office of State Senator Carl Kruger
2201 Avenue U
Brooklyn, NY 11229
Tel: (718) 743-8610
Fax: (718) 743-5958
Albany Office
Office of State Senator Carl Kruger
803 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
Tel: (518) 455-2460
Fax: (518) 426-6855
website: http://www.nyssenate27.com/27/Default.aspx
Sen. Espada (Bronx, 33rd District)
Sen. Pedro Espada, Jr.
1729 Boston Rd
Bronx, NY 10460
(718) 991-8132
Espada is a senator-elect, and his website isn't up yet. I would guess that his email address will be espada@senate.state.ny.us.
Diaz and Espada are longtime Albany fixers, old-style machine politicians who have more than once flirted with the Repuglican party. They are not going to be persuaded by appeals to decency. They need to hear from New Yorkers that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated anymore.
Until this week, I've felt that we were very likely to get such a law through the pipeline swiftly--with a progressive governor and a Dem majority in Albany.
But this article in today's NY Times is cause for alarm:
The battle for control of the State Senate continues. Senator Carl Kruger, one of the three Democrats who have refused to backtheir party’s pick for Senate majority leader, said on Tuesday evening that his dissident group would not make a decision on whom to support until the newLegislature was seated in January.
Mr. Kruger, of Brooklyn, said that he and his two colleagues — Senator Rubén Díaz Sr. and Senator Pedro Espada Jr., both of the Bronx — would prefer that a Latino lawmaker lead the chamber.
“Our preference would be that there be a Hispanic Democrat as the leader ina bipartisan chamber,” Mr. Kruger said after the three men dined together inthe Bronx. “That’s not necessarily who’s on the right or left; it’s who best can do the job.”
The comments came a week after Democrats won 32 of 62 seats in the Senate,achieving a majority for the first time in more than 40 years. The rest of the Senate Democratic caucus has reaffirmed its support for Malcolm A. Smith, the current Senate minority leader, and are becoming exasperated with the actions of the dissenters.
Mr. Kruger and Mr. Díaz also said on Tuesday that they would seek a statewide referendum on same-sex marriage as a way of forgoing a legislative vote. The issue has been a sticking point for Mr. Díaz, a Pentacostal minister who has vowed not to support any leadership candidate who brings a same-sex marriage bill to the Senate floor.
Mr. Kruger said that his group would beconsulting with experts to come up with their own platform and then to decide which potential leader could meet their standards. Mr. Espada and Mr. Díaz have said that they expect the Democrats to control the chamber next year, but Mr.Kruger said on Tuesday that both Mr. Smith and Dean G. Skelos, a Long Island Republican and the current Senate majority leader, “are two individuals that have not necessarily taken themselves out of the running.”
Article posted here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/nyregion/12albany.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=diaz&st=cse&oref=slogin
Now, this is just a sleazy power play by Senators Díaz and Kruger, with the help of Senator-elect Pedro Espada (who has had more than a few ethics problems over the years), and as such is entirely typical of Albany. But gay marriage is being used to set liberals in opposition to conservatives within the Democratic party. The gamble of these creeps is that most legislators would prefer to alienate gay people than to alienate New York State's huge Hispanic population. Diaz is also an anti-abortion activist.
So my fellow New Yorkers: here's a chance to make a huge difference fast. Contact your state senator and Assembly member and make it clear that she or he must not support Díaz, and that you want to see the legislature pass a same-sex marriage bill this session, without the slimy manipulation-tactics of a California-style referendum. Further, let Kruger, Díaz, and Espada know that you will campaign actively against them in future elections, and will help to rally a statewide effort to unseat them if they try to use gay marriage as a wedge issue.
Any of you who are in Kruger, Espada, or Díaz's district: This especially means you. Elections to state office are won on small voter numbers: activism at this level can be extremely effective.
Sen. Diaz (South Bronx, 32nd District)
diaz@senate.state.ny.us
Sen. Ruben Diaz
District Office
1733 East 172nd Street
Bronx, NY 10472
Tel: (718) 991-3161
Fax: (718) 991-0309
Albany Office
304 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
Tel: (518) 455-2511
Fax: (518) 426-6945
website: http://www.nyssenate32.com/32/Default.aspx
Sen. Kruger (south central Brooklyn, 27th District)
kruger@senate.state.ny.us
Sen. Carl Kruger
District Office
Office of State Senator Carl Kruger
2201 Avenue U
Brooklyn, NY 11229
Tel: (718) 743-8610
Fax: (718) 743-5958
Albany Office
Office of State Senator Carl Kruger
803 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
Tel: (518) 455-2460
Fax: (518) 426-6855
website: http://www.nyssenate27.com/27/Default.aspx
Sen. Espada (Bronx, 33rd District)
Sen. Pedro Espada, Jr.
1729 Boston Rd
Bronx, NY 10460
(718) 991-8132
Espada is a senator-elect, and his website isn't up yet. I would guess that his email address will be espada@senate.state.ny.us.
Diaz and Espada are longtime Albany fixers, old-style machine politicians who have more than once flirted with the Repuglican party. They are not going to be persuaded by appeals to decency. They need to hear from New Yorkers that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated anymore.
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no subject
Date: 2008-11-13 05:09 am (UTC)