Good
Since the Republican Caucus in Leg Hall is in cahoots with the big money Strine has established screwing retirees as a major GOP priority, somebody needs to be on the side of the folks on a fixed income.
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can you clarify “FIXED” income?
do you mean like someone’s son stealing money fixed?
or taking money from Delmarva fixed income?
or Dave Burris, fixed income?
If there’s one thing the DE GOP likes more than screwing fellow members, its screwing people who are absolutely helpless. It takes little effort, it makes us look like we’re doing something, and it gives us something to giggle about while recovering from redundant plastic surgery to avoid snarky comments like “her face could hold a three-day rain.”
Nice. Pandering at its finest. A guy running for an office he won’t win meeting with those whose issue is before people elected to offices he’s not running for, and whose 12 leaders have already declared war on his opponent’s party.
All this, from a guy who switched parties to run for office. Hey, that reminds me. Will he be campaigning with the other party-switcher who’s pandering to mobile home tenants while he’s down there?
Lovely.
Is Strine the one who holds the record for switching parties?
Great event tonight. I was there. Most of them in the room said they were Repubs. Some said they were switching parties to vote for Bullock in the primary & general. Others said they would vote for Bullock in the general. No one said they would vote for Castle. In fact, they all said, in angry terms, they have never once heard a word from Mike Castle about their issues. Not once during the entire time he has been in Congress. Not so much as a letter.
One retired lady said to me w/ tears in her eyes, “I can’t believe this happening. No one running for Congress has ever come to talk to us.”
Another person said, “It’s the Republicans in Dover who are keeping us from getting help. Why can’t Mike Castle talk to them to help us?” I resisted telling her ” The answer is two words, ‘Terry Strine’.”
The stories that came from this group–all retirees–of landlord intimidation and price gouging were some of the most heartbreaking tales I have heard in my life. I didn’t recognize what I heard as something that could occur in America. But it does thanks to the DE GOP. It takes a stone cold heart to support these wealthy landlords.
Here’s the thing: 18% of all affordable housing in DE is manufactured housing. As I thought about it, I realized how the Repubs have slit their wrists on this. Figure 2 voters per home–these people vote–most of them in Kent & Sussex (Castle’s base)…Castle does nothing for them as he protects Terry Strine’s interests. Bullock will win them–one entire voting constituency right in the heart of Castle’s stronghold. Them & all the people who sympathize w/ them.
The DE GOP are idiots. No wonder they are losers.
There is more to come on this later…stay tuned to it. Don’t believe Burris. He knows perfectly well what a Congressman COULD DO for these people if he didn’t care to protect Strine’s fat wallet.
Nothing will reveal how self-destructive the DE GOP is than this issue. Just wait & see.
And what’s that?
Can the federal government force landowners to go to federal court every time they raise rents more than 3%?
Or is there some special kind of pandering in mind for the Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-Democrat from Wilmington who changed parties again just to run for office?
You are demagoguing the issue and it is shameful.
And I love the “find large population of voters and promise them the moon” strategy. So elected officials should throw away their principles because there are a lot of votes involved? I would think you were normally opposed to that sort of pandering, but then again, whatever gets the government more involved in people’s lives and gives government more control over the private sector is perfectly welcome on Dana Lane.
You wearing your Che T-shirt today?
Oh how I hope the GOP presses this class warefare line Dave is laying out. I like the idea of milionaires Strine and Castle on one side and a bunch of angry pensioners on the other.
Yes. I could go for that.
Dave, you, Mike Castle, Valihura, Stone, Hudson, etc. have all made it clear. You don’t care about these people. You care about Terry Strine and handful of wealth land barons like him.
That’s your right. You and Mike Castle should continue to advocate for these people your constituents. I’m sure Chris Bullock concedes that constituency and vote to Mike Castle.
But these people need help now. The state GOP Reps said bugger off to them. They can do it. They’re allowed. And Mike Castle is allowed to agree w/ them and say & do nothing for these people, not even use his influence on their behalf.
But Chris Bullock doesn’t have to. He’ll be the voice of these multiple thousands of exploited people and dare I say “voters.”
He’ll be the voice of these multiple thousands of exploited people and dare I say “voters.”
Not if the Republicans have anything to say about it. 🙂 Just joking, though I’m happy this isn’t Ohio or Florida.
“But these people need help now. The state GOP Reps said bugger off to them. ”
When was that, exactly? I saw Bob Valihura hold meetings statewide and at least two in January, as well as hosting both sides who actually sat down to a table to try and reach a compromise. Not exactly “bugger off.”
If you’re alluding to the vote on a moratorium bill that was introduced at the 11th hour and the attempt to force it to the floor before anyone had read it, okay. In that case, “bugger off” means “I won’t vote on a bill that no one’s read.”
“You don’t care about these people.”
Exactly the message I was trying to send when I said we need to set up a fund to help those on fixed incomes pay their rent. I can see where that must’ve been unclear for you.
Look, some of these people are greedy bastards and deserve to have their asses beaten. I don’t like sticking up for them just because the principle of state control of private business is at stake. But I’m not going to just violate what I believe it and jump to the populist side of this because of who’s involved.
“Exactly the message I was trying to send when I said we need to set up a fund to help those on fixed incomes pay their rent.”
Brilliant GOP conservative strategy, Dave. MAKE EVERY TAXPAYER IN DELAWARE effectively underwrite Terry Strine’s ability to charge rent increases at any amount he wants.
Please promise me Mike Castle will support the DE taxpayers paying for these landbarons raising their rents 40% w/ total impunity.
“When was that, exactly? I saw Bob Valihura hold meetings statewide and at least two in January…”
Sounds like a Ruth Ann Minner solution. Hold meetings.
LOL
Dana,
I am agree more and more with you. I think if those GOPers keep pushing us young people out of the party for advocating republicanism they are going to turn us all into a libertarian wing of the social democrat party. Thank you….
The community owners would pay into the fund, Dana.
“Sounds like a Ruth Ann Minner solution. Hold meetings.”
Now you wait a second! You said that the GOP told them to bugger off when the truth is they were invited in to speak their peace. Now you joke about that.
Are you going to admit you told a bald-faced lie?
Dave,
I think their is a lot of alientaion in the GOP now and you guys need to address it and make some changes. I would love to see that, but I am sitting here listening to my family who are more unhappy than they have been for a long time. You GOP guys keep alientaing a key constituency and as long as the people hold the vote it is going to be a rough road. I am not saying you will not win, but it is going to be filled with opposition in Delaware.
I thought your family hated McCain. I can’t do a whole lot about that.
I know but the DE GOP could take a different track. They do not hate McCain personally, they have a profound disagreement with his policies and the party platform. My aunt is sitting here saying that until we get back to the ideas that William Penn and Charles Marhsall founded this state on by giving everyone real liberty, and encouraging every type of scitentific pursuit and discovery and drop the ever present controlling attitudes- as far as they are concerned the party is screwed and I can’t stop them from changing affiliation if the party decides not to change its ideas. Ok. Out the door. See you later.
Ok Dave, I am back from a walk. My cousin in a satircal mood, made the suggestion that as long as the GOP platform sounds like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ8iKMW4Z4w&feature=related
He wants to be a democrat. Does anyone else out there agree with him?
Some pretty weak arguments you have today, Dave. Bullock switched parties? Yeah, normal folks really, really care a lot about that. Look how badly it’s hurt Margaret Rose Henry over the years.
A few days ago you said Mike Castle was Delaware’s “most popular politician.” Wrong. He’s Delaware’s most popular Republican, and he managed only 57% in 2006 against an underfunded opponent. This year will be an even bigger Democratic landslide, and I predict 10,000-15,000 extra votes this year from people nobody knew existed until Obama showed up — maybe more if Bullock is the Democratic nominee. African-Americans are going to play the role this year that evangelicals have played in recent years — previously uninterested citizens who become voters because they’re enthused as never before.
Mike Castle is more vulnerable than he has ever been. If he doesn’t run hard, he can lose.
Mike Castle is more vulnerable than he has ever been. If he doesn’t run hard, he can lose.
Al has got blogger fever!
A lot changes in a year, anon. And there’s a big difference between “he can lose” and “Castle is SOL.”
So, Al, you have the sniffle of Blogger fever, but not a full outbreak? 🙂
Exactly, geek. If a candidate (Bullock, for instance) can hammer Castle the way Jason has, and Castle loafs again, it could turn into a statewide case.
*blush*
But seriously folks, this admission by Al is a kind of huge thing.
One of Castle’s great strengths is a aura of invincibility. If that is slipping and Castle has to actually work between now and November – then it is a whole new ballgame.
Jason,
Well, there is a block of my family out there who are profoundly disatisfied with him right now. They are not looking for anything other than people who represent the interests of the majority rather than the banks and what they perceive as elitism and corporatism. As small business owners, public servants, military officials, farmers, merchants, retired people etc. they want to have parity in representation and right now they feel that Biden gets it, and some local officials get it, but they are willing to use the power of the vote to make sure others get it too, so I predict there is going to be more vulnerability out there for those seeking public office becuase they perceive that representation is being sold like dispensations from the Pope rather than as a result of doing what is right for the citizens. And the thing that amazes me is they are doing it in a bipartisan way. I have actually never in my life seen some of these folks agree with each other let alone decide they want to work to vote people in or out as a block.
“A few days ago you said Mike Castle was Delaware’s “most popular politician.” Wrong. He’s Delaware’s most popular Republican.”
In each of the 17 statewide polls that are currently sitting on my desk, Mike Castle has the highest favorability and the highest fav-unfav ratio of any politician in Delaware.
Dave,
I agree with Al, you better get ready for a change.
I hope Castle rubs those polls all over his naked body. I hope he sleeps with them in his bed.
It is going to be a huge Dem turnout year. Your “R” ticket is not going to fire anybody up so those polls can bite me.
You have a desk?
“Now you wait a second! You said that the GOP told them to bugger off when the truth is they were invited in to speak their peace. Now you joke about that.”
Valihura holds committee meetings AS HE IS SUPPOSED TO DO AS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE and–oh, get this–he graciously allows the little people (the senior citizens) to say their peace and you act like this is some big attempt to help.
What an arrogant, elitist pig you are.
Now let’s talk about the wonderful Mr. Valihura. During the legislative session of 2007, members DMHOA tried to get him to hold the committee meeting and, yes, he effectively told them to bugger off. How do I know? I interviewed on the radio he said it to.
http://www.wvud.org/podcast/PublicAffairs/ProgressiveVoices/ProgressiveVoices07-16-07.mp3
During the last few days of the legislative session, John Kowalko asked in the House Chamber if Valihura would hold the committee meetings before the end of the session. Valihura said he would “take it under advisement.” I know. I was there.
Valihura did nothing. No committee meeting.
So he gave all the summer and fall to Terry Strine and the other land barons to squeeze the senior citizens & single parents for every dime they cared to get.
Now here’s the kicker. Even when the session started up in 2008, Valihura was dragging his ass and it actually took Terry Spence to threaten to resign the speakership (and we all knew that meant switch to the Dems) to get Valihura to hold his kangaroo hearings.
So, don’t you dare lecture me or anyone about lying. You are blowing smoke for Valihura and Strine in your revisionist tale of what really happened.
It’s amazing how much distortion, outright lying and manipulation of the legislative process is required for DE Republicans, elected or not, to keep fealty to Terry Strine.
You are getting used, Dave. Your reputation for an honest broker is already severely compromised. If you want to have a reputation that inspires confidence in you as a future leader, regardless of your politics and economic theories, you are going to have to grow some balls and publicly stick your finger in the noses of your own party’s leaders and elected officials and condemn their actions when it’s called for.
Otherwise you’ll be known as just another run-of-the-mill party hack.
“In each of the 17 statewide polls that are currently sitting on my desk, Mike Castle has the highest favorability and the highest fav-unfav ratio of any politician in Delaware.”
I want Castle to run as as the shoe-in. I’m counting on it. Just as Caleb Boggs did against the no-name Joe Biden. The parallels between the two races (Nixon era…Bush era, older popular incumbent vs. newcomer running on, yes, change) border on being deja vu.
Think of how those parallels will play as a state-wide metaphor during the national political season whose metaphor is change.
Think of Obama coming to DE wrapping his arms around Bullock while McCain and Castle lock their walkers in a warm embrace.
Think of all the lobbyist associations w/ McCain and Castle’s (especially his junkets to resort areas paid for by special interest groups). We’ll see how invulnerable Mike Castle is then.
Bullock will win all the images.
I think Castle should join the historic number of GOPers retiring from the House. I think the best shot for the GOP to be on the side of change is to retire the election addicted Mike Castle who has served in office for a tedious 42 years.
No one will believe Mike Castle is on the side of change after being a 42-year government junkie.
” If you want to have a reputation that inspires confidence in you as a future leader, regardless of your politics and economic theories, you are going to have to grow some balls and publicly stick your finger in the noses of your own party’s leaders and elected officials and condemn their actions when it’s called for.”
I’ve been through it all before. When people agree with me, I’m the greatest thing since sliced bread. When they don’t, I’m an elitist pig. That’s why I don’t base my actions or beliefs on other people’s opinion of me.
“The parallels between the two races (Nixon era…Bush era, older popular incumbent vs. newcomer running on, yes, change) border on being deja vu.”
Except for the fact that Biden was a consistent Democrat who had already won election to office, Cale Boggs didn’t try to win, and oh, about 40 other things.
“Valihura holds committee meetings AS HE IS SUPPOSED TO DO AS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE and–oh, get this–he graciously allows the little people (the senior citizens) to say their peace and you act like this is some big attempt to help.”
Valihura is under NO OBLIGATION to hold statewide meetings in each of the three counties, meetings that were very successful and well-attended. VERY few committee chairs do. But he did.
Valihura is under NO OBLIGATION to host and facilitate compromise meetings between the two parties, on a regular basis, to try and forge a compromise between the needs of the homeowners and the rights of the landowners. But he is.
So no. I will not let you continue to tear down Bob Valihura, Mike Castle and others who are not guilty of your uninformed partisan drivel without an attempt to steer people towards the truth.
Elitist pig.
Look at what Dave Burris has become.
Republican Committee chairpersons are under no moral obligation to hold open and accessible hearings to people in the state.
If that isn’t an elitist attitude, I don’t know what is. It certainly isn’t a good government attitude because someone w/ a real (as opposed to put on) good government attitude would say that any committee chairperson is morally obligated to hold open & accessible hearings in a democratic society.
So, Republican Dave, wants Republican Valihura to get extra points for doing what he should have done anyhow.
But notice that Dave makes no mention about WHEN Valihura should have done it. He never answered how Valihura stalled–outright stalled–these committee hearings in 2007 even up to the end of the legislative session. No word about that from, Dave.
Also, no word from Dave of about how Spence had to literally threaten the GOP’s hold on the House to get Valihura to move on these hearings. Not so much as a whisper from Dave about that.
Oh, about these meetings where Valihura tried to effect a compromise. I know what went on those meetings (unless there have been recent ones). Here was the compromise that was offered by the land barons (e.g. DE GOP Chair Terry Strine): “Accept the status quo, period. We get to raise our rents however much we like. We can threaten you w/ selling our land anytime we please to extort more money from you and we don’t have to grant you even as much as one hour to try to get a loan to buy the land from us even if it is the highest bid we get.”
There you go, folks. That’s the so-called “Valihura compromise.” Its terms are “Terry Strine and the other land barons can have whatever their greedy, exploitive hearts desire.”
That is what Dave Burris defends. This is what he has become.
“What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?”
Bullock switched back to Dem from Repub. Big whop. I HOPE the DE GOP argues that anyone who switches their party registration isn’t fit to be elected to a leadership position:
“A check of Strine’s voter history shows he has not always been a Republican during 36 years of registration in New Castle County. Since 1968 he has jumped around, voting as a Republican, an independent and even — perish the thought! — a Democrat.
Strine first registered as a Republican. Ten years later in 1978, he switched to independent. In 1984, he switched to Democrat. In 1986, he switched back to independent. In 1996, he went back to Republican.”
http://www.delawaregrapevine.com/5-04%20strine%20dem.asp
Let me tell you why Dave and the DE GOPers are more afraid of Bullock than they are letting on.
Let’s do a thought experiment. If you were a member of the GOP and you wanted to find the best candidate to run against a popular US Dem Senator, who would you choose first? A black African American preacher or a rich well-known woman?
Knowing how the GOPers love people w/ big bucks, wouldn’t the GOPers likely select the wealty woman? You’d think so UNLESS they knew the African American preacher would make an exceptionally powerful candidate:
“Michele Rollins was not the first possible candidate to be courted by the party. Christopher A. Bullock, the energetic pastor of the two-year-old Canaan Baptist Church in Wilmington, appears to have had the initial right of refusal.
“They approached me, and I thought about it and prayed about it and talked to my family and the church leadership. There was a big push, but I declined, because the church is still a very young church,” Bullock said. “Maybe next time around.”
http://www.delawaregrapevine.com/10-05rollins.asp#125Miche1
No one is afraid of Chris Bullock.
You need to brush up on your reading comprehension. What Valihura did was hold meetings in each of the three counties to ensure that as many voices as possible were heard. THAT he did not have to do but did anyway.
You live in a fantasy world that entitles you to interpret what you read however you want to, and then ascribe your opinion as fact. It’s childish.
“Oh, about these meetings where Valihura tried to effect a compromise. I know what went on those meetings (unless there have been recent ones). Here was the compromise that was offered by the land barons (e.g. DE GOP Chair Terry Strine): “Accept the status quo, period. We get to raise our rents however much we like. We can threaten you w/ selling our land anytime we please to extort more money from you and we don’t have to grant you even as much as one hour to try to get a loan to buy the land from us even if it is the highest bid we get.”
Yeah. That’s accurate. Whatever, you disingenuous fool.
I’m done here.
Dana- There are going to be a lot of GOPers changing party affiliation this year if this clobber em’ at all costs attitude continues in the GOP.
Rent conrol: just another incentive for people to be poor and never strive to be more. Yall can toss it in with welfare, food stamps, government jobs, medicaid, and whatever Barry and Hilly have for us next.
Where’s the incentive for our grandkids to do anything but sit their asses on the couch, play X-box and get fatter?
Well, Knowledge, I think creating jobs for them outside the military would be a good way to start changing the situation. Thanks for the input.
“Rent conrol”
There is no bill for rent control in the General assembly, so I don’t know what you are talking about.
Notice that ONCE MORE Dave completely DODGED the fact that Valihura held no committee meetings in 2007. That it took Spence threatening to quit the leadership to get him to hold the committee meetings in 2008.
“No one is afraid of Chris Bullock.”
Once more, Bullock was the 1st choice of the DE GOP to run against Carper, even before the wealthy Ms. Collins.
Dave, says the DE GOP isn’t afraid of Bullock. How credible is that?
Castle won by 56% in 06 and Carper won by much more in his race in 06.
So, if the GOP thought Bullock would be the best candidate against a bigger vote getter than Castle, then why wouldn’t the GOP think that the same candidate wouldn’t do very well against Castle?
But, hey, I hope the GOP takes Bullock for granted. I hope Castle runs for this race in a beach chair in the Caribbean paid for by a special interest group like he has done plenty of times before while Chris Bullock meets Delawareans in multiple homes across the state.
FSP: I agree no one is afraid of the Reverend Bullock! Let the fun begin!
What Strine and the fat cat GOP’ers did with “holding more hearings, having more meetings”, was to deliberately give the park owners the time to gouge the homeowners to death right now. Yearly leases are due March 30th, so all these high percentages are put into place, before any hearings or their results are considered…all contrived to deceive!
Problem the GOP’ers have is that many of the home owners come from Pa, NJ, Washington DC, to retire..they are not all republican, and this issue is the most pressing issue they have you can bet they will have no trouble switching parties. When the party doesnt stand for you, you don’t stand for them.
“Notice that ONCE MORE Dave completely DODGED the fact that Valihura held no committee meetings in 2007. That it took Spence threatening to quit the leadership to get him to hold the committee meetings in 2008.”
The statewide committee hearings were held in each county in September and October 2007, Dana.
2007.
That’s right, 2007.
2007, you flaming jackass. 2007.
Now apologize, liar.
And forcing landowners to go to court to justify rent increases higher than inflation is indeed rent control.
You know what I meant. During the legislative session of 2007, just as I wrote above.
Your distortions won’t work.
The truth & the timeline is on my side.
“And forcing landowners to go to court to justify rent increases higher than inflation is indeed rent control.”
No, it’s not. Find one authoritative article on rent on rent control which defines it as “forcing landowners to go to court to justify rent increases higher than inflation?”
I challenge you to do it.