Hey there! Remember us? The base? The dedicated core Democrats that turn out for every election and every primary and who vote predictably and steadfastly Democratic each and every time?
What do we ask in return for our simple and rather touching loyalty? Not too much. Basically just that our politicians remember that we are the guys who put them in power in the first place, that they run in our name and under our Party umbrella and the very least we expect from them is behavior that lets us and everyone else know they are Democrats in case their name tags with the "Hi! I'm Andrew (a Democrat)" or "Hi! I'm Kathy ( A Democrat)" fall off.
I am sorry to say, that without those name tags, Democrats would have little reason to recognize either Andrew Cuomo or Kathy Hochul as one of their own.
Let's begin with the bottom of the ticket, the Lieutenant Governor candidate Kathy Hochul who served a brief term as a Congressperson from New York's 26th District in New York for a year and a half in 2011 and 2012 when she won a special election when the previous holder of her office, a Republican resigned. She did not win re-election when she was re-districted to the 27th District and lost to an actual Republican. Not that she didn't give it the old college try in being the most Republicany Democrat she could possibly be during her year and a half in office, but sadly, it was still just not enough.
Now someone has informed Ms. Hochul that she needs to be "Progressive". Being the shape shifter that she is, no problem! This is a view (youtube by way of BoingBoing) of the refreshingly free from embarrassment New and Improved Kathy Hochul debating the Old Conservative Kathy Hochul. New Kathy Hochul is vitamin enriched, contains no high fructose syrup and is just what every Populist, Progressive primary voter is looking for in a candidate.
Quick question for base Democrats - are we really this simple? Can someone denying everything they did that was counterproductive to Democratic goals and values get away with it by simply pretending it never happened? Like actually voting to repeal Obamacare "many times"? Anyone bothered by this? Anyone feel like they are being treated with actual contempt by this redefinition of reality? Are we as dumb and sheeplike and unquestioning as they think we are?
Moving right along to the top of the ticket, let's briefly address Andrew Cuomo. Even putting aside all the Moreland Commission issues, all base Democrats really need to know about Andrew Cuomo is that he appears to be instrumental in kidnapping the control of the State House from the Democratic majority.
According to this incredibly interesting read despite his protestations to the contrary, Cuomo played an active role in empowering the Republicans(!)
The governor’s interest, say knowledgeable sources, was ensuring that Republicans had control over the agenda in the Senate, so that he wouldn’t be handing over power to New York City Democrats.
Wow! For real? He preferred that the Republicans have control of the agenda over "New York City Democrats"?
One could be excused for thinking that the highest placed politician of a party in a particular state being in cahoots with the opposition to deprive his own party of power would be excommunicated by his party. And you would be wrong. It's apparently no problem with the Party bigwigs. Pragmatism, donchaknow.
As has been proven time and time again, the Democratic Party has NO threshold that may not be crossed in treachery and duplicity. Lieberman was tolerated. Blanche Lincoln was tolerated and now Andrew Cuomo is tolerated.
It's sad, but it appears that Democratic Party itself and some of its leading luminaries are not bothered by the perfidious actions of its two New York standard bearers. The Party may not care, but how about individual Democrats? Do you care?
Are you willing to say "No more. This stops now."
I guess we'll all find out tomorrow.