DEwind: The Week That Was September 22nd

The big news of the week in the Delaware blogosphere has to be Delaware Liberal’s call for donations to the campaign of Rebecca Young. DL readers and staff donated $1640 dollars to Young’s campaign to unseat Joe Miro. If you pledged money or you just want to make a donation, send your check off today to:

Young 4 the 22nd
P.O. Box 1655
Hockessin, DE 19707 

Earlier in the week, there were two great debates regarding John Atkins, Delaware’s unique creation, went on here and at Delaware Politics. Burris writes:

Lying profusely is what got John into trouble the first time and one would think he’d learned his lesson. Apparently, that is not the case. Unfortunately, people seem to be buying the “new” John Atkins hook, line and sinker. 

And on Sunday, another debate, for those of you counting that’s over 120 comments. Mike, at Down With Absolutes!, predicts Atkins winning by a landslide and kavips skewers Atkins in Profiles of Garbage.

Jason’s favorite blogger, Mark at Delawonk, eviscerates Charlie Copeland regarding his criticism of the Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council (DEFAC). Copeland, hoping his name and money can get him past Denn, said that Gov. Minner has politicized DEFAC and that Delaware is spending more money than it is bringing in.

First, the State can’t spend more money than it has and Charlie knows this (at least I hope he does). The State Constitution restricts annual appropriations to 98 percent of the sum of estimated revenue for the coming fiscal year and the unencumbered balance in the General Fund from the previous year. 

Second, the State can not run a year-to-year deficit (unlike the federal government). Each year’s budget must be in balance by the close of the fiscal year. If revenue estimates decline during the fiscal year, then cuts must be made to keep the state budget in balance. If Charlie Copeland does not know this, he not only shouldn’t be the next Lt. Governor, he should be asked to step down from the State Senate immediately.

A day or two prior, Mark called out Lee and Copeland for their inanity:

They [the DEFAC members] have forgotten more about state finances and revenue forecasting than Bill Lee and Charlie Copeland have known their whole lives. Most of these people, if not all, are merit system employees — they are career public servants and are not politically appointed. 

Its funny, we never heard Charlie Copeland make any such claim about DEFAC forecasts when he was voting on the state budget – the most recent of which was just a few months ago.

As Bill Lee’s poll numbers drop faster than John McCain’s numbers, Delaware Republicans will stop at nothing to try and derail the inevitable, Markell publicly spanking Lee on Nov. 4th. David Anderson, a comedian over at Delaware Politics, writes:

I don’t know the entire story, but Jack Markell’s over reaction and over reaching denials make me wonder. I am less concerned about an old lawsuit than his current reaction. 

Classic stuff.

TommyWonk suggests that maybe Bill Lee should suspend his campaign instead of reminding Delawareans that Markell was a successful business man.

And while the economy is going in the shitter, DP comedian John Feroce opines that Delaware should incent businesses to have the workers tele-commute. Why when we need businesses to do the right thing, we have to give them tax breaks?

Let me not forget that Dave Burris has made sure that Delaware Talk Radio is now available to all state employees via the internet during working hours. Let me understand something here, Dave Burris would rather have state employees who work for you and me listening to Delaware Talk Radio and tying up the network infrastructure due to high bandwidth use. Doesn’t sound very Republican to me, but with the way the Republicans have been acting lately, nothing really surprises me anymore.

Joe M has decided to take a hiatus from writing about politics, while Brian Shields lets us know that Seaford is going to the dogs.

Bonus Round: Find out why kavips loves Ruth Ann?

Notes and Stuff
This was my first DEwind for Delaware Liberal and as this is a learning process for me, please bear with me as I muck through it week by week.

Currently these are the blogs that I am reading: Another Gun Blog, Blue State Rising, Delaware Libertarian, Delaware Politics, Delaware Watch, Delaware Way, DelaWonk, Delmar DustPan, Down With Absolutes!, Fix Red Clay, kavips, Kilroy’s Delaware, Merit-bound Alley, Mike’s Musings, Pencader Days, That’s Elbert With An E, The Colossus of Rhodey, The Delaware Curmudgeon, The Mourning Constitution, The Watercooler and TommyWonk.

If I am missing your blog or another Delaware blog, please let me know at nemskiATdelawareliberalDOTnet. The two rules for getting included in this posting are:

1. The original post must be about Delaware. 
2. I have to include the post here. Trust me when I say this, that’s the tricky part. If during the week, you think there is a good post out in the blogosphere, please drop me a line.