Robert Jackson (left) and Jerry Nadler on Election Day. Photo via Jackson.
Beyond the national political shift, Tuesday’s election could have major implications for the Upper West Side.
Democrats won control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Republicans kept control of the Senate. In the state legislature, Democrats won control of the State Senate, a major shift that is likely to impact lots of local issues.
A few takeaways:
Come January, Congressman Jerry Nadler will be the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. That role makes him a powerful player in national debates, including the possibility of a House impeachment inquiry and vote. Nadler has carefully avoided saying much about impeachment, but he could be one of the key decision-makers if Robert Mueller’s investigation turns up impeachable offenses, or if Democrats start issuing subpoenas. He’s already warning President Trump not fire Mueller.
Tonight, the American people have demanded accountability from their government and sent a clear message of what they want from Congress. @realDonaldTrump may not like it, but he and his administration will be held accountable to our laws and to the American people. pic.twitter.com/EgVpwUWAJe
— Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) November 7, 2018
And in the state, Democrats have been stymied for years in their efforts to pass liberal legislation because the State Senate was controlled by Republicans. But the overthrow of the Independent Democratic Congress (IDC) in the primaries, and key wins on Tuesday, will put the State Senate in Democratic hands. New York state has enormous control over the city, meaning upstate legislators have dictated city policy for years — from school funding to rent laws to the MTA to hyperlocal issues like the location of speed cameras.
With Democrats now in control for the first time in a decade, major policy issues will be on the table.
Rent laws could become more tenant-friendly when rent-regulations go up for renewal next year. Education funding — including funding meant to reduce class sizes that the city has not received despite a judicial ruling — could also become a bigger issue. Robert Jackson, who just won a State Senate seat to represent parts of the Upper West Side, has made this a signature issue. And social policy, including the state’s decades-old abortion laws that pro-choice advocates say doesn’t protect women from the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade, could be updated. And — brace yourselves — the state could update New York’s voting laws so we don’t have to deal with this nonsense every year.
For those interested in these issues — for or against — it makes sense to stay engaged and advocate for your issues as the actual legislating begins. Keep reading and staying involved!
If the City won’t do it, the State needs to step in concerning the growing number of retail vacancies on the Upper West Side. They degrade this vibrant neighborhood. We need a law/policy that penalizes landlords for not filling street level properties and allowing trash to build and fill entrances.
Rent laws will not become more “tenant friendly”. Rent laws are by definition anti-tenant, as they raise the price for most, while lowering the cost for a privileged few.
For example, according to the latest US Census Bureau Vacancy survey, 168,000 regulated apartments are occupied by people earning over $100K a year. This in a city that has over 60K homeless people. So a vote for stronger rent laws is a vote to give the wealthy houses over the freezing poor.
You can vote for whatever party or position you want, but it’s time to retire this idea that voting for Democrats “helps the vulnerable”. The data shows that to be a lie.
JB, Interesting how you just happened to have this anecdote handy and ready to produce given any opportunity.
OK, so you got a grudge for regulated tenants, but please don’t act like you are all for tenants and use a neighborhood blog for your personal gain.
The election showed us that these deceptions are not acceptable anymore.
Just hope they don’t waste their political capital going after Trump for the next 6 years. They need to fix the city first before we revert to the New York City of the 70’s.
Corruption in any administration affects us all. Obviously every elected official has sworn an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, which was defined and written to provide checks, balances, and true oversight. The emoluments clause comes right to mind. It’s served us moderately well for 240 years. So I’m grateful for Nadler’s leadership.
For me, after spending a full day watching the Kavanagh hearings farce, I couldn’t be more disappointed in Chuck Schumer for rolling over and agreeing to further pack the courts with anti-woman judges. This carries huge implications for justice and fairness. I’m very concerned.
I wish that we COULD “revert to the New York City [values] of the 70’s.”
Lot’s of the heart and decency have been lost, and it may, in fact, require correction at a national level as well.
Sorry but that is exactly what Job one is going to be for Nadler. see link below for what he is already saying. “Top Democrat: Dems To Go ‘All-In’ On Russia, Impeach Kavanaugh
In post-election chats, Rep. Jerrold Nadler revealed plans to investigate and impeach Justice Brett Kavanaugh and President Trump.”
Throughout the campaign the Dem leadership kept stressing their candidates not talk about impeachment of Trump & Kavanaugh as it would hurt their chances. They got elected and guess what. it was Trump that was right about what they plan to do.
The dems will have a small majority in the house, aprox 10 seats. It will be extremely hard to get dems in Midwest & swing districts to vote for any impeachments Also you need 67 senators (2/3’s) to do this. That will not happen as there are 55 or 54 GOP senators. How about do the countries work first and NOT just play to your far left coastal base It will fail and all you are doing in vastly upping the republican turnout in 2020 as well as ive Trump a huge issue to run on.
Before folks mention it, yes I know its from the federalist, but these are Nadler supporters that have realsed his text/calls with them to try and stop this nonsense nd get back to servicing the countries needs.
Re: “The dems will have a small majority in the house, approx 10 seats.”
Ummm…according to MSNBC: as of Friday night that “small” majority is up to approximately THIRTY! (that a 3 followed by a 0).
Of course, “Fox & friend” (guess who-o-o) will call that Fake News.
Yup, reality is a real bummer!
Sorry here is the link
Working to many hours
https://thefederalist.com/2018/11/07/incoming-democrat-chairman-dems-will-go-all-in-on-russia-impeach-kavanaugh-for-perjury/
“Fixing” NYC would be done by the NY state legislature. “Going after Trump” would be handled by the US House of Representatives. So theoretically both fixing the city and going after Trump could be done simultaneously by the two separate entities.
Don’t expect much to come out of Washington DC. I don’t see Trump, McConnell and Pelosi working together to accomplish anything. I don’t expect much from the state politicians either, though with single party control here there is less of an excuse for inaction.
So glad someone was elected who is fighting to reduce class size in nyc public schools. 32 students to overwhelmingly large!!!
I hope they finally change the sex abuse laws. If they don’t they cannot blame Flanagan, et al for blocking it.
Democrats in House only have about one year to get anything done. By late 2019 and certainly first quarter of 2020 everyone in Washington and elsewhere will turn their attention to the 2020 election cycle.
New York State becoming more solidly democratic doesn’t change the political needle much far as Washington, D.C. is concerned. Indeed the election bought few surprises on that score.
More worrying far as DNC is concerned is the ease at which GOP picked up several senate seats. If DT and republicans in general can build on that momentum they will win again in 2020. Democrats OTOH need to find ways to address their poor showing in areas commonly referred to as “Flyover Country”.
As for New York State, much of how far left/progressive democrat things go will largely depend upon Cuomo. That in turn will depend upon if he sticks to promises about not running in 2020 for WH.
Upstate is dying a slow and painful death. Something Andrew Cuomo promised to address and thus far has not changed things that much. An influx of “hippies”, transplants and other liberal democrats organizing and managing to bring about ousting GOP isn’t going to mean much if things don’t change.
As things stand downstate, in particular New York City is basically carrying rest financially. Thus any increased funding for upstate can only come from really one source. Meanwhile downstate democrats have their own ideas for programs that are going to require vast amounts of spending.
Having “three men in a room” governing NYS won’t make that much of a difference even if they are all of the same party.