Andrew Cuomo, his running mate, and "New Democratic Party" to fight public employee unions?

[madfloridian]

Sounds like they plan for sure to go against teachers' unions in a powerful way. Cuomo and his running mate, Rochester mayor Robert Duffy, plan to push for mayoral control of public schools....and charter schools.

In Choice of Running Mate, Cuomo Sends a Message to Unions

It was just 24 hours after the debut of the "New Democratic Party" signs up here at the site of the party's convention in Westchester. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo was in midtown making public the results of his first critical deliberation as a candidate for governor. In choosing Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy as his running mate, Cuomo got a career cop who evidently turned around the city of Rochester by restoring public integrity, improving municipal services and cutting taxes. But that's not all.

..."In Duffy, Cuomo has chosen a potential lieutenant governor who stands for strong executive authority, especially in education. Duffy has been trying to follow in the footsteps of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who's taken power from local school boards and put it in the mayor's office.

..."The head of the local teachers' union, which vehemently opposes Duffy's approach, told local TV that Duffy's move sharply divided the community. No doubt what the teachers, some parents and community members see as a mayoral power grab, Duffy and advocates for mayoral control, such as Bloomberg, see as ensuring accountability.

That drive for accountability is also expressed in Cuomo's support for lifting of the state's cap on charter schools. So on education, the "New Democrats" are aligning with President Barack Obama, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Bloomberg, Reverend Al Sharpton, and even New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in backing the expansion of charters.

Well, I know they started calling themselves the New Democrats a couple of decades ago, but now it appears New York is starting a new "New Democrats" theme.

State convention touts the "new" Democratic Party

BUFFALO, NY (WBFO) - There are plenty of signs at the State Democratic Convention in Rye, New York, touting the "new Democratic party."

The party's choice for governor, Andrew Cuomo, seemed to downplay the issue when he addressed reporters in New York City Wednesday. He says it's not really a re-branding.

"What the Democratic Party is all about is growth and change," Cuomo said. "It's a new day. There are new problems that need new approaches. And that is what's meant by the new Democratic Party."

.."One change from the "old" Democratic party seems to be the willingness of Cuomo and his running mate Robert Duffy to take on a powerful constituency -- the public employee unions. Duffy has battled with union leaders in Rochester over some of his controversial proposals, including his call for more control of city schools. Cuomo says he respects that.

"Yes, he tangled with public employee unions," Cuomo said. "Guess what, we're going to be tangling with public employee unions going forward."

The new policy of taking power from elected school boards and giving it to mayors is supported and pushed by Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. He worked hard to get that control for Bloomberg in NYC.

Now, as if the education secretary doesn't have enough going on, he's wading even further—and more dramatically—into the thorny issue of local control and school governance by declaring that more big-city mayors need to take over school districts. And if the numbers don't rise, he said according to Libby Quaid's Associated Press story, he "will have failed as secretary."

..This is tough talk from a guy who is now the very-publicized face of public education—at least on the federal level. And local and state officials don't usually appreciate comments from federal officials about how to govern local school districts. This is sure to irritate some of Duncan's base of support—like teachers' unions, the Council of Great City Schools, and the school boards association.

Apparently it has been forgotten by our Democrats that they are supposed to support public education, respect elected school boards, and respect unions.

But then it is so much easier to take over public schools if there is only the mayor with the power.

I wonder what the next batch of "New Democrats" will have as their policy?