New York State Communist Party: NY progressives begin to line up behind Gillibra

 


New York State Communist Party: NY  progressives begin to line up behind 
Gillibra
 
 
 (http://www.peoplesworld.org/assets/Uploads/gillibrand.jpg) 
Despite  the early date on the political calendar, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, 
D-N.Y.,  appointed to fill the seat vacated by now-Secretary of State 
Hillary Clinton,  has already picked up a spate of endorsements from labor, 
progressives, leaders  of the African American and Latino communities, Democratic 
Party leaders and  others.

Former New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson, who with a  campaign budget 
of less than $10 million was able to come within five points of  beating 
out billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2009, was the latest to offer  his 
seal of approval. Gillibrand, according to Thompson, has been "putting more  
New Yorkers back to work and fighting for justice, fairness and equality 
for  every single New Yorker."

Many are saying that, for a Democrat holding a  statewide federal office, 
Gillibrand has strong progressive credentials. Indeed,  a campaign has been 
organized by health care activists to call Gillibrand's  office to thank her 
for taking a lead in the fight for health care reform.  Gillibrand recently 
signed a letter urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to,  despite the 
recent defeat in Massachusetts that took the Democrats' filibuster  proof 
majority, ensure that real health care reform-with a public option-is  passed. 
The letter advocates using the budget reconciliation process, which  requires 
only 51 votes.

While 119 House Democrats have signed the letter,  as have 300,000 
grassroots activists, only a few Senators have added their  names.

The early endorsements are necessary, many argue, because  Gillibrand will 
likely face a stiff Republican Party challenger in November, and  she's also 
likely to be targeted by African American conservative Democrat  Harold 
Ford, a former member of Congress from Tennessee and current and vice  chairman 
of Merrill Lynch.

While Ford's policies favor Wall Street over  Main Street, Gillibrand has 
"worked every day to pass health-care reform that  protects New York workers, 
covers the uninsured and makes health care affordable  for working 
families," Raglan George, leader of AFSCME District Council 1707,  the first 
citywide union to endorse Gillibrand, said. "And she's been working  hard since day 
one to make sure every worker receives the fair and equal pay  they 
deserve."

Ford, a leader of the conservative Democratic Leadership  Council has 
sought to portray himself as a moderate, but his past has put  progressive 
organizations on edge.

On national security he's said, "We've  got to get tough on ‘illegals.'"

While a member of Congress, Ford voted  for restrictive measures sought by 
anti-choice advocates: parental notification  laws banning late term 
abortions.

NARAL Pro-Choice New York's Kelli  Conlin, after meeting with Ford for 
forty minutes, said that while he can't be  classified as "pro-life," he also 
can't be classified as pro-choice.  Consequently, NARAL's national and local 
organizations endorsed Gillibrand, who  has established herself as a 
pro-choice candidate. Even back in 2006, while  campaigning for Congress, Gillibrand 
told the national conference of the  National Organization for Women that 
the extreme right was undermining democracy  and women's rights to choice in 
particular.

Many have argued that they  will support Gillibrand because she has a 
proven ability to beat Republicans,  even on their home turf. In 2006, Gillibrand 
was able to win the seat  representing New York's 20th Congressional 
district, an area with a much larger  number of registered Republicans than 
Democrats.

A number of commentators  have openly wondered why Ford is running: Is he 
backed by Republicans, they ask,  in order to weaken Gillibrand in the 
general election?

Others who have  endorsed Gillibrand make up a broad cross-section of New 
Yorkers: the vast  majority of Democratic Party county chairs, Rep. Nydia 
Velzques and a number of  other members of New York's Congressional delegation, 
Emily's list, the pro-GLBT  rights Human Rights Campaign, the Rev. Al 
Sharpton, the New York State United  Teachers, the Public Employees Federation, 
as well as numerous other leaders and  groups. Also, the White House has made 
clear that it supports Gillibrand.