“New Democrat” is synonymous with “neo-liberal” and DLC politicians. Anyone confused as to how they differ in public policy orientation only has to look at current events in New York. It’s the neo-liberal New York State Governor vs. the Democratic Mayor of NYC.
The NYTimes article, Cuomo Burnishes His Political Brand, Using de Blasio as His Foil is good on the facts and disputes between the two and for once, not as obviously biased in favor of the neo-liberal position.
The issues:
Tax increase on the wealthy: de Blasio endorses; Cuomo rejects.
Minimum wage increase: de Blasio for it; Cuomo against it.
Charter schools: de Blasio: enough already; Cuomo: need more (translation, Wall St for outsourcing public ed).
Universal pre-K ed: de Blasio for it; Cuomo sort of for it.
Mr. Cuomo, according to people close to him, has urged the mayor to agree to a compromise, by dropping his demand for a tax increase and accepting the governor’s offer of state funds to pay for prekindergarten.
de Blasio not taking the bait:
Mr. de Blasio has rejected the idea that Mr. Cuomo’s offer is sufficient, arguing that raising taxes on city residents who earn more than $500,000 would provide a dependable source of money to expand prekindergarten, and would insulate the city from the vagaries of the annual state budget process. The mayor’s office says that despite the governor’s offer of a blank check for prekindergarten, his budget proposal does not contain nearly enough money for the city’s needs.
Interesting that Cuomo has been sticking some knives in de Blaisio while maintaining silence over the GW Bridge scandal. Not taking any well-deserved potshots at the embattled Gov. Christie or any of the NJ appointees to the Port Authority of NY and NJ.
De Blasio has been acting like a gentleman over these disputes. Confident instead of an insecure bully-boy.
And the mayor, his advisers say, is comfortably withstanding the second-guessing of his approach to Albany, noting that he was dismissed as all but dead in the mayoral race up until the final weeks before the Democratic primary.
And went on to a landslide (73.3% to 24.3%) general election win.
