Delaware Political Weekly: Sept. 15-21, 2012
1. Markell Officially Kicks Off Reelection Bid.
As opposed to unofficially doing it, announcing that he was going to do it, filing for reelection, and unofficially running up and down the state. Except when he had to pause to help out Tony DeLuca. For a month or two.
He ‘kicked it off’ at Bethany Beach, the Eco Chic Boutique, Hundertpfund Farm, Delaware State University, the U. S. Male Barber Shop, the Delaware City Refinery, the University of Delaware, and the Ernst & Scott Taproom at 9th and Market. Hmmm, 9th and Market. Wonder if he saw Brad Bennett there…naah, rumor has it, he’s been flagged.
2. Rethugs Try to Gin Up Interest in State House and Senate Races.
Kinda sad, really. The Rethugs are like Popeye Doyle in The French Connection, watching the drug dealer dine at that fancy restaurant, while he stands across the street in the pouring rain with his styrofoam cup of cold coffee. Except, of course, they’re not the good guys. And what a motley crew we have here. Three Rethugs are quoted in the News-Journal article. Greenville’s apologist Rep. Debbie Capano Hudson; bloviating self-promoter Rep. Greg Lavelle, you know, the guy who engineered the anti-choice coup of the statewide R leadership; and… wait for it…Evan Queitsch, Christine O’Donnell’s hired muscle.
Here’s what they say they’re gonna do:
Republicans say they’ll pursue measures that would prohibit lawmakers from taking second jobs with the state while in office, allow Delawareans to purchase health insurance across state lines and secure permanent funding for farmland preservation programs.
Other ideas included in the GOP’s “Making Delaware First Again” agenda would phase out Delaware’s gross receipt tax and place caps on annual increases in state government spending.
Here’s what Lavelle had to say:
“On the House side, we have common sense stuff getting stopped from moving onto the floor for votes,” Lavelle said. “That’s what we’re going to do to clean up and open up the building.”
Greg, do you mean your ‘common sense’ voter suppression legislation that was quashed in committee? Folks, most of the so-called common sense stuff that Lavelle references either comes out of the Paul Ryan school of economics or the thuggish minds of Karl Rove, Sheriff Joe and the like. It’s what committees are for.
I certainly agree with them (and many Democrats) on the double-dipping stuff. Evan, can we talk? The guy you’re running against took on one of the two most blatant double-dippers and won. Which will make it much easier to pass such legislation going forward. The other blatant double-dipper? Rethug Joe Booth. And we saw what happened to him.
And now a few words about this horrible News-Journal article. Can Jonathan Starkey actually report? I don’t know. This apparently was a ‘rally’ of GOP candidates at Legislative Hall. How many were there? It’s not in the story. If only three were there, and they were all quoted, then that adds a lot of context. If, say, 20 were there, that adds context as well. Why wasn’t this simple fact reported? Or a photo at least? Is it asking too much to want the basic facts? A link to this so-called “Making Delaware First Again” (WTF is that supposed to mean?) Agenda wouldn’t hurt, either. Deep cleansing breaths.
3. O’Donnell Surfaces, Just in Time For Halloween.
Last week, she told us that she owes it to her creditors supporters to at least think (insert your own jokes here) about running for something, anything in 2014, perhaps against Chris Coons. And why not? Evan Queitsch will have plenty of time on his hands, so her security detail needs should be covered. Now we know that she will be speaking at an Eric Bodenweiser rally next Thursday in Georgetown. Because, as Bodie points out, they ‘share the same values’. Anyway, something to look forward to.
4. Cape-Gazette Does a Good Job.
Gotta give ’em credit. I know that this is basically a compilation of press releases, but still, this roundup provides a lot of info, all in one place. Which reminds me…
5. Rose Izzo Endorses Alex Pires.
Perhaps she’s looking to extend her yard sale empire from her Holiday Hills manse to Sussex County…
That’s it for this week. What did I miss, and whaddayathink?
Here is a link to the so-called “Making Delaware First Again” press release. I can’t find any of the more specific proposals, but they may be waiting for the CRI to gin them up for them.
I was going to write about this today, but saw that you had this in this wrap up. Personally, I thought that this was pretty small ball for a party this far removed from power. Some of the transparency stuff is OK and should have been done a long time ago. On a YOY basis, the state’s budget increases don’t go much past the rate of inflation (I think), so what else would a cap do? Removal of the gross receipts tax is an evergreen, but someone needs to finance the money being thrown at businesses here. The insurance thing is another wingnut evergreen that is largely designed to smash a certain amount of regulatory oversight of insurance.
So basically they have a bunch of small transparency proposals, a bunch of business wish list items and some vague bit of business for school spending. There are alot of big problems you’d think that they could grab to keep their names in the conversation AND actually push for some resolution. Too many school districts is one. Working on some long term solutions to resolve some of the state’s biggest city’s structural issues could be many. But here they are, the Delaware GOP, fulfilling Sigler’s early election year claim that “No one will see us coming!”
Great stuff, Cass.
Whenever I read Starkey I get the feeling that he is pissed at having to put his xbox controller down for a few minutes to file a story.
YAWN. I find nothing new or Earth shattering in the proposals. I bet commenters on this blog could have predicted every point in the proposal a week before the press conference.
The only interesting thing about this whole story is who showed up on the steps, who didn’t show up on the steps, and how quickly they threw Joe Booth under the bus.
There’s a pic in the Cape Gazette.
http://capegazette.villagesoup.com/news/story/republicans-unveil-plan-of-action/899437
Thanks, Anon. Glad to see that at least the Cape Gazette commits the fundamentals of reporting.
We’ve learned far more from our commenters on this than from the initial News-Journal story.
Only woman in that picture is Debbie Hudson. Kinda scary if you’re a woman and an R.
Here’s something to consider: The Cape Gazette story says 20 of the Republicans are small business owners.
If that’s the case, then small business owners are absurdly over-represented in the General Assembly.
Here’s the lead from the Cape Gazette story:
Republicans legislators and GOP candidates have a plan to improve Delaware’s economy.
Then I read on further and discovered that they don’t. Or at least, this article doesn’t talk about a plan, it talks about a bunch of talking points meant to masquerade as a plan. This is how the bullshit happens, people. The first story that reports on what the DE GOP says as an outline of bullet points waiting for the details of a genuine plan is when you know the local press is paying attention.
WGMD has a better photo of the group.
http://www.wgmd.com/?p=69961
The absence of the state party’s top-ticket person candidate is astounding. Where’s Jeff Cragg?
Why bother with a plan if there’s not a chance in the world that it would ever be approved?
Speaking of less-than-informative media (and this is me catching up with the week’s news), why on earth do the NCCo Sheriff and Deputies need to be Constables? I don’t see why they need to do this from the NJ article. If the Sheriff’s duties don’t change (and someone should verify that), then what is the point of the name change? The NCCo Sheriff’s office turned over the handling if prisoners to the Capital Police, which leaves them with serving court documents and disposing of property. If they forsee that an action to serve court documents might be difficult, they take local law endorsement with them. The NCCo Council should turn this down, I think — mission creep of this office to more law enforcement is just silly.
Exactly cassandra . . . Trini thought he could get this through I guess. Nice try!!! All this would do is reactivate that nut down in Sussex. Emailed my council person she knows exactly where I stand on this issue. No!
Navarro must be on that wingnut sheriff mailing list.
The sheriff duties will change. They will be able to detain “suspects” until the police arrive.
another article (and picture) of the GOP meeting is at http://www.wdde.org/30938-delaware-gop-campaign-platform
In a surprise move, the folks on this blog attack Republicans! I am shocked, shocked that folks here would simply call people names (excuse me, just non-democrats names), rather than discuss the actual merits of anything. Such is the level of discourse on this blog.
Sheriffs of America, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!
Constables is pretty whacked but wait till Gordon tries other things. you may hate to hear it but the NCC Prez job just got a lot more important and Bullock ain’t the guy to stand up to Gordon on anything
Perhaps constables can back fill for NCCPD patrolling Wilmington or perhaps constables can assist in patrolling Wilmington?