A Week In the Life of a Progressive Governor
El Somnambulo is not paranoid (although he can’t explain this insidious humming in his ears), so he will not accuse the News-Journal of going all ‘Delaware Way’ over its failure to chronicle a substance-filled week, courtesy of Gov. Markell.
He will merely ascribe said failure to the by-now familiar twin causes of slothfulness and journalistic ineptitude.
Still, in case you weren’t paying attention, allow ‘Bulo to bring you up to speed on what the Guv did this week:
1. Markell unveiled his education plan with these components:
Replaces the DSTP with a better system for measuring performance.
This agenda requires that a replacement for the DSTP be in place by the 2010-2011 school year. It would offer as a replacement an assessment that actually measures the progress of each child during each school year. The requirements for the new test would correspond to the specifications that the state assessment task force has developed for the new test.Rewards great teachers and those who volunteer to serve in at-risk districts.
The state already provides salary enhancements for teachers who seek professional development opportunities and achieve advanced degrees. The agenda would build the framework so that when the budget situation improves, the state can add financial rewards for high-performing teachers who teach in ‘high-risk’ schools (schools under NCLB review and high-poverty schools), and offer salary supplements for teachers whose students show objective improvement based upon our new state assessment over the course of a school year. We will seek to establish the formula for this new salary structure this year and put it into action when funds become available.Cuts cumbersome regulations to give districts the chance to innovate and allow them more decision-making discretion.
This enhances local decision-making in two ways. First, it eliminates state mandates with respect to many subjects outside of traditional ones such as math, reading, writing, and social studies. Districts and schools could still include these other subjects in their curriculum, but they would have greater flexibility in how they were offered so resources could be reprogrammed to meet needs like math and reading. Second, it provides a mechanism by which individual schools and individual districts can promptly seek relief from regulations, procedures, or policies that impede their ability to meet the needs of their students.Allows Districts and Schools More Funding Discretion.
The agenda moves decisions about what is best for students out to the people closest to the students – individual schools and districts – by giving greater flexibility on how state dollars are spent in schools. This flexibility is balanced by three new provisions of law to ensure great accountability. First, the state Department of Education must approve district budgets, and is assigned to do so with an eye to two criteria: compliance with state and federal law, and appropriate use of funds for instruction-related purposes. Second, it requires a heightened level of financial transparency by districts. And third, it requires each district to set up a standing civilian financial review committee.
This plan was enthusiastically endorsed by Sen. Dave Sokola and Rep. Terry Schooley, two of the far-too-few true progressives in the Delaware General Assembly.
2. Markell directed that DNREC participate in ongoing negotiations between Delmarva Power and the Public Service Commission to ensure that health and environmental concerns be fully considered as part of Delmarva’s long-range energy inventory plan. The directive also instructs DNREC to use the Division of Public Health as a resource in this initiative. Delaware Liberal Patron Saint John Kowalko bestowed his blessing on this commonsense proposal.
3. Announced an initiative to assist first-time low and middle income homebuyers in purchasing that first home. This was detailed in depth yesterday on this site. And, yes, ‘Bulo added jokes for those with ADD.
4. Finally, in a public address today, Gov. Markell actually discussed his vision for state government and how he proposes to achieve it:
“What is Delaware’s purpose? I believe it’s to ensure the health and safety of our families. To foster the growth of our economy and protect the quality of our air and water. To give every child every opportunity to succeed. To keep our commitment to our senior citizens and protect the rights of our citizens.
Our purpose is not to keep programs alive simply because people have grown fond of them or because inaction is far easier than change.
We need to approach our state government asking – what is our most important purpose, not what are our most important programs?
For the last several months, we have been looking across every agency to find new ways to tackle old problems. To examine what works and why. To determine whether we are meeting our obligations and how.
Asking each Cabinet Secretary – what purpose, not what program, do you serve?”
All this plus the Jack Markell Unplugged Tour, six stops in all, where he took questions about the budget and everything else. No pre-screening, no canned answers.
This is the tough stuff, folks. These are tough times. For the first time since the days of Russell Peterson, Delaware has a governor with a genuinely progressive vision. ‘Bulo thinks that we owe it to him to help him realize that vision.
The Delaware Way’s response is (if Cassandra won’t edit it, ‘Bulo will try to get a cheap laugh out of it):
Good on you, ‘Bulo, for the shout out to Russell Peterson!
What’s that last blockquote – Mike Castle’s response?
It makes me sad for the things he will not be able to get done due to being saddled with Bush’s economic train wreck.
‘Bulo’s a lover, not a fighter.
And ‘Bulo’s a writer, not an editor.
The item which matters is the budget, let’ s see how progressive that item is.
Possibly, the Governor could consolidate school districts and do away with referenda? I proposed both last year and hopefully the savings (est at $31 million) could go to the classroom?
I think that last blockquote is the response of the Delaware Way.
While it is unfortunate that he has to manage the legacy of the Bush train wreck, it looks to me that he isn’t being overly limited by that and continuing to work on changing the possible.
Sokola a progressive?? Are you smoking crack?
The use of the two question marks by ‘aykm’ (the Beast Who Slumbers is a sucker for overwrought punctuation) has convinced ‘Bulo to start smoking crack.
Brilliant and cogent analysis. More please.
Thumbs up.
I could have sworn I read about all those things (except what happened today( in the News Journal.
Unstable Isotope loves ‘Bulo. She hopes he won’t start smoking crack.
Lets get to the real point Jack is having to clean up a lot of Minners train wreck as well. The issues facing DHSS are overwhelming. Minner was a total failure in 8 years, never caring about the most vulnerable people in the State. Hopefully Jack will have a new budget and ignore the budget of Minner.
I am hoping they replace Marianne Smith who retired from Div. of Development Disabilities with Roy Lafontaine, who is the best person for the job. This guy has walked the walk, knows the disability community and has a proven track record with parents for more than 20 years.
“Hopefully Jack will have a new budget and ignore the budget of Minner.”
Considering Minner’s budget didn’t even to begin fixing the budget gap, I’d hope he chucked all copies out the window his first day on the job.
Everyone’s going to take a hit this time, liz, even the people who shouldn’t be on the chopping block. There’s just no way around it.
The other thing that is really good about this progressive governor is that he is out and about speaking to people. He hasn’t retreated to an office to grind out solutions, he is out talking to people about possible solutions and talking about other agenda items. He gave the Commencement Address at the last WPD graduation which evidently went over really well.
ps. I love the Delaware Way response, but if you want me to edit that I will.
Who will step up on the death penalty, which returned to Delaware 17 years ago this week?
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5igctmlsODOAxUpGyz0aSU2eehOEQD96P8SI80
That’s a good question, John. People should really read John’s (he should change his first name to ‘Intake’ and be done with it) link as it demonstrates how executions are actually more costly than life imprisonment.
‘Bulo believes the death penalty should be lifted. After all, if Tom Capano gets life in prison, then it’s clear that the penalty is not applied fairly across the board. And we now know that several people who were executed were innocent of the capital crimes that triggered the death penalty, thanks to DNA evidence. And others facing execution have been freed as a result of the evidence.
The entire Department of Corrections needs a top-to-bottom review. So many scandals, so little time.
‘Bulo will be keeping a close watch here to see if Gov. Markell follows through. If Markell is the reformer The Beast Who Slumbers thinks he is, he will. If not, ‘Bulo will be posting about it.
Blog on this, ‘Bulo:
http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewcenteronthestatesorg/Fact_Sheets/PSPP_1in31_factsheet_DE.pdf
Anon1’s link is essential. If you look at it and extrapolate from the numbers that Delaware’s minimum mandatory incarceration for non-violent drug offenders took place around 1997, dingdingding, you’re a winner.
Pushed through the Delaware General Assembly by the Unholy Trinity of Tom Sharp, Jim Vaughn and Wayne Smith, this has siphoned untold millions of dollars from transportation and school projects to prison construction. Not to mention, it has created a whole new class of prisoners not receiving any real help to prepare them for reentering society.
It is terrible public policy and needs to be reversed.
Yah, ‘Bulo, still waiting to hear how the News Journal didn’t report on this stuff…
The only one of the four stories that ‘Bulo saw covered in the Journal (and ‘Bulo reads a lot) was the education story.
If Anon, or anyone else, cares to provide links showing what the Journal covered, ‘Bulo would welcome that.
It was difficult to find, a task that took me many moons (actually, I went to delawareonline and searched for “Markell”), but this anon was up to the challenge of doing research before spouting off.
Energy/environment: http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009303040013
Homebuyers: http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009303060009
I couldn’t find anything on the speech on Friday, but the excerpt you provided really doesn’t sound like anything that he hasn’t been saying since Election Day.
Just so you know, I posted the links, but my comment is “awaiting moderation.”
‘Bulo went back and read the Friday News-Journal, cover to cover. The homebuyers article you referenced does not appear there. There is an article by Robin Brown about homeowners getting free advice. Gibson’s article is datelined Friday, but it did not appear in the paper Friday or Saturday. ‘Bulo’s article was posted on Friday.
‘Bulo stands corrected on the energy initiative, and thanks anon for the correction. He did not see the initial article, although he saw Molly Murray’s Saturday article, which places the issue in context.
When the Governor lays out the philosophy and blueprint for his administration, one might think that the News-Journal would deign to cover it. They didn’t.
When the News-Journal actually does something right, ‘Bulo will herald it. But when they don’t do the basics properly, ‘Bulo will criticize them for it.
The Beast Who Slumbers wants the News-Journal to succeed. He knows that short-staffing is putting an undue burden on the remaining staff.
But the paper either has to resolve to be an essential source of news, opinion, etc., or fail.
But the paper either has to resolve to be an essential source of news, opinion, etc., or fail.
Well …Gannett has decided on failure then. All corporate communications deal with getting eyeballs on advertising and none of it (that I’ve read) deals with journalism.
“When the Governor lays out the philosophy and blueprint for his administration, one might think that the News-Journal would deign to cover it. They didn’t.”
Funny, I thought that’s what his whole inaugural address was about.
I hate to say it, but Jason is right, sort of.
Gannett doesn’t give two shits about news and information. Therefore, what the editors of an individual paper want don’t count for squat.
All Gannett papers these days, except for USA Today, are in survival mode – like, hanging on by their teeth. Look for even deeper staff cuts coming within the next few weeks.
Jason – What you don’t seem to get is that without advertising, there is no money to underwrite the journalism. Subscriptions don’t pay the massive overhead that it takes for salaries, benefits and equipment of a real newsgathering operation. So, yeah, everyone is looking for ways to make more money these days, even the journalists. The problem is, no one’s buying.
In terms you can understand… It’d be like if states put a freeze on buying educational materials and textbooks because their budgets were incredibly tight. You would be suffering, too. Without sales, there’s no content.
Anon is just ‘dancing as fast as he can’ now.
The Governor gave a speech which put a hell of a lot of ‘meat on the bones’ of what he outlined at his inaugural. The News-Journal chose not to cover it.
In fairness to the News-Journal, however, it’s tough to toss that ‘Toy Terrier Stolen…” article or the “Tiffany Lamp Stolen…” off the local news front page for something as trivial as Markell’s blueprint. That is, unless editors know their asses from holes in the ground.
Trying to get away into the night?
And if that speech was so darned important, you’d have thought that it’d be up on Markell’s Web site.
Ah, that’s it… I used the wrong word. Should have been goatfuckers.
anon,
Putting the advertising cart before the journalism horse does not seem to be a sound business strategy me.
Subscriptions don’t pay the massive overhead that it takes for salaries, benefits and equipment of a real newsgathering operation HOWEVER – if the paper increased the journalism it would increase the subscribers and thereby increase ad revenue.
“Putting the advertising cart before the journalism horse does not seem to be a sound business strategy me.”
Wow… Uhm… OK, let me try this. If you don’t make enough money to pay the salaries, you don’t have a business, let alone a strategy.
An ad in TNJ will still reach more people on a day-to-day basis than any other medium in Delaware. Yet people still aren’t buying ads.
Newspaper subscriptions have been decreasing steadily for the last few decades. Despite using every trick and gimmick in the book, they haven’t been successful in boosting those bottom lines.
I’m curious as to your source for the increase-journalism = increase subscribers = increase-revenue statement. Have you seen some study to that effect?
[Self-deleted. I’m not getting into a pissing match with a jackass.]
Let me get this straight, anon: Gannett sucks (so far, we agree) but TNJ is wonderful? How do you come up with that equation?
Geezer,
Where did I ever say TNJ was wonderful? It certainly has its flaws. I’m simply occasionally trying to point out that it’s not always the horrible, incompetent, shilling media outlet that people here portray it as. Especially people who don’t bother to do their own research, yet paint with a very broad brush.
If you’re interpreting this statement – “An ad in TNJ will still reach more people on a day-to-day basis than any other medium in Delaware. ” – as my argument that TNJ is wonderful, well, please check your eye prescription, ’cause that doesn’t say anything of the sort.
I’m just saying that there’s no better ad deal in the state. No TV station covers as much territory as the paper does; no weekly can provide as much distribution; and radio ads go in one ear and out the other.
There are good people at TNJ who are doing the damnedest to do the right thing, to cover their beats as well as they can. There are also some idiots and incompetents, who can’t report their way out of a paper bag. But on the balance, Delaware is lucky to have the newspaper. Would you like to put your regular, semi-comprehensive news coverage in the hands of the Dover Post?
…or DelawareLiberal? Or WDEL?
Thanks for making my point!
WDEL barely covers anything outside of NCCo or political news outside Dover, except for stories picked up off the AP broadcast wire that originated with TNJ.
And I’d turn to DelLib for my news only if I were a Mike Castle junkie.
i was being sarcastic. i meant to make your point.
Although if DL has the resources of the NJ, I have no doubt that we’d be turning out some kickass journalism AND keep the Mike Castle watch going.
TNJ is a great ad buy only for those advertisers looking for a wide, undifferentiated audience (chain grocery stores, for example). For anyone with a more targeted audience (independent grocery stores, for example), it’s a terrible buy, especially if you base your decision on a dollar-per-eyeball basis. TNJ’s ad rates have been out of step with this market for years, and the proof is in its main moves of recent years — trying to muscle in on niche magazines — because the main-paper advertising well has been dry for a long time.
Try not to kid yourself about all the swell people there trying to do a good job. They’re working for an incompetent organization more interested in perpetuating its own bureaucracy than in “news” coverage. In the same way that McDonald’s gives you less beef per burger than Jake’s because it has so many suits to feed, newsgathering makes up an increasingly smaller percentage of Gannett’s output as revenues shrink. I’m sure you noticed that in the most recent spate of layoffs, all those layers of assistant managing editors — a layer of management that didn’t exist 15 years ago — kept their jobs. It was mainly newsgatherers who lost them.
If you have any belief at all in the market, news outlets will spring up to satisfy demand, if demand exists, for various kinds of news. My guess is that government news, which caters to a very small audience (perhaps 10,000, I’d guess), will move to a subscription-driven model. Newspapers will decide, quite soon I’d wager, that they cannot afford to give away content for nothing. Once that happens, subscription-driven net content will become more viable for smaller operations, too. And once that occurs, whom would you rather get your information from — people who are doing it because they think it matters, or people who are doing it for the money?
PS: “radio ads go in one ear and out the other.”
You clearly don’t know much about advertising theories. Tell me, when’s the last time you found yourself humming the jingle from a newspaper ad?
If you ask WDEL why they don’t cover any news from even nearby Pa., they’ll be very honest with you — because that’s part of a different Arbitron market, so listenership there doesn’t count towards its ratings. Same with downstate.
‘Bulo went back and read the Friday News-Journal, cover to cover. The homebuyers article you referenced does not appear there. There is an article by Robin Brown about homeowners getting free advice. Gibson’s article is datelined Friday, but it did not appear in the paper Friday or Saturday.
‘Bulo should look at page A11.
If you want real foreign policy or international news, turn off all cable, and forget most local papers. They all get their news from a small number of sources.
Even the NY Times and Wash. Post are having financial problems. I wonder if BBC and other european newspapers are having the same problems.
Most of of us news junkies have found plenty of reliable sources outside the cable companies to get facts.
Many times we have had the story for days or even months before you see it on cable or ever read it in a newspaper. After the Judith Miller debacle at the Times even they are now questioned as the “paper of record”.
Still no acknowledgement that at least 3/4ths of ‘Bulo’s arguments in this post were incorrect?
TNJ did report on the homebuying plan, the education plan and the energy plan.
His other point, regarding coverage of last Friday’s speech, is debatable, considering that Markell’s own office apparently didn’t regard it as a major “vision” address, having still not posted the text on the Web five days later: http://governor.delaware.gov/speeches/speeches.shtml