When New York Democrats show up to vote in their primary tomorrow, they’ll face a choice that speaks volumes about the dangerous drift of their party.
Gov. Cuomo came to office saying he was a liberal who understood economic reality. So he pushed gay marriage through while keeping spending flat. More recently, he’s embraced the Working Families Party and vowed to end the Republican control of the state Senate.
But what’s extraordinary has been the reaction within his party. Despite the concessions he’s made, the growing left wing — determined to seize control of the party — still considers him way too conservative. These are the people backing Fordham law professor Zephyr Teachout.
It’s worth reminding people what her criticisms of Cuomo are. Just last Friday, she called for an end to the governor’s property-tax cap and demanded that Albany pay more for local social services. Teachout calls Cuomo’s budget cuts “short-sighted and entirely unnecessary.”
Needless to say, in a state second only to California in its crushing personal-tax rates, Teachout wants to extend the “millionaires tax,” raise corporate-tax rates and impose new taxes on banks.
Teachout also wants to legalize marijuana, raise the age of criminal responsibility and “treat children like children” (even criminals) and “ensure that felons never lose their right to vote,” even while imprisoned.
Like these pages, she is not a fan of the governor’s stalling on fracking — but, unlike these pages, only because she would ban fracking outright.
And in two areas where we have been encouraged by Gov. Cuomo’s stands — his championing of charters and his recent trip to Israel to show his support for the Jewish state in its war with Hamas — Teachout is flat-out against him on the former and won’t commit on the latter.
Yes, a vote for Zephyr Teachout would send a message. But not the one Albany or the Democratic Party need to hear.