Hawkins on IDC Deal: Democrats are Not the Answer

Putting Lipstick on a Pig

Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for Governor, said today that a potential Democratic majority in the State Senate will not provide the progressive changes that New Yorkers need.

"Only in New York is it news when a Democratic Governor, major labor unions and Democratic Party Senators announce that they will support the majority Senate Democrats. The fact that it is news shows how thoroughly the Democratic Party has sold itself to special interests. These so-called 'deals' won't change the fact that it will still be the 1% calling the shots. It is just putting lipstick on a pig," said Hawkins.

Hawkins noted that the Democrats in 2008-10 controlled both state chambers and the Governor's office -- as well as Congress and the Presidency -- and they failed to deliver the progressive legislation they had promised then and now are promising again.

"The Democrat's deal is mainly about power, fundraising and patronage. The pigs will still be jockeying to line up at the trough. They promise us a minimum wage hike that will still keep working families in poverty, a drug reform program that seeks to enforce the decriminalization law passed 40 years ago, and a so-called public campaign finance reform deal that maintains the right of politicians to still spend unlimited private money from their wealthy backers," noted Hawkins.

"The deal doesn't mention single payer health care, 100% clean energy by 2030, an end to mass incarceration, an end to poverty, a farm worker bill of rights, a ban on fracking, a guarantee of a living wage job for all New Yorkers, or reversing Cuomo's tax cuts for the rich and enacting progressive tax reform and revenue sharing to fully fund public schools and services while providing real property relief," he added.

"In the 70 years since FDR as President called for a second economic bill of rights in 1944 to guarantee employment, living wages, health care, quality education, and affordable housing, the Democratic mainstream has retreated from being New Deal Democrats to being corporate New Democrats," noted Hawkins.

"The Greens do not believe a Democratic majority in all branches of state government will save our cities, schools, or environment. We still need to elect Green progressives who, because they are independent of the corporate power structure, can carry through a comprehensive progressive reform agenda. If we re-elect Governor 1%, he will continue his economic policy of austerity for working people and special favors for his rich donors. New York needs a Green New Deal," said Hawkins.