First, here is a post by RSmitty that defies categorization below. It is a post on Father’s Day.
What a week. Homosexuals finally don’t have to fear being fired just because they are gay. But they are still not treated equally under Delaware law, and it is time to extend the right to marry to them. And for you “traditional marriage” shouters: shut up, pay attention to your own marriage and mind your business. Gay Marriage did not cause Mark Sanford to cheat.
Here is what our colleagues said about THE PASSAGE OF SB 121.
MJ lobbies for the passage of the bill at Lower Slower Delaware and then offers a celebratory postscript.
Anderson is disappointed.
SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEM THURMAN ADAMS DIED, signaling an end of era. I hope it is not disrespectful to say we are glad that era is over. Senator Adams served this State honorably for decades, but it is still possible to be honorable and wrong. We mourn his passing and have sympathy for his family and friends, but look forward to the day where progress is not stymied in a desk drawer.
Your reaction:
Brian Shields, in his “Get to Know Your State Constitution Series,” looks at the immediate affects of Sen. Adams death procedurely (as in when a special election will be called and how the new President Pro Tem will be appointed).
John Tobin of By the Numbers offers his sympathy and then looks at the upcoming special election.
Anderson offers his condolences.
Brian Shields offers his thoughts on Adams’ passing.
Nancy Willing passes along Jud Bennett’s thoughts on Adams’ passing. Why doesn’t Jud join Anderson on the future Delaware Conservative (whoops, did I let the cat out of the bag)?
Anderson thinks downstaters should be concerned about the new Senate leadership.
Kavips offers a eulogy for a tough adversary.
DELAWARE POLITICS and DOWN WITH ABSOLUTES are both dying as well. Mike Matthews is leaving his blog for Twitter, where you can follow his live-tweets at DWABlog. Then Burris announced that he is closing down Delaware Politics at the end of the legislative session. Given the fledgling success of Coastal Sussex, his departure is understandable. But what about RSmitty, David Anderson, Maria Evans and Elbert, the remaining DP contributors? Anderson tells us that an announcement is coming on Tuesday about their future. While it is unlikely that the newly independent RSmitty will be involved, a new right wing group blog is most definitely in the works. And no, Maria, it will not be center-left. You are not center-left. Maybe for Sussex County, but not for the rest of the planet. 😉
Here are the posts announcing the demises and the reaction:
Burris announces that it’s time.
Kilroy reacts hysterically then oddly. And then offers some thoughts on the nature of the Delaware blogosphere.
Steve Newton reacts.
Mike Matthews shows why he is pretty invaluable as a member of the local scene, in his posts about the NCCo meeting.
MIKE CASTLE (D…no wait…R) for SENATE, er ah, for a BEACH IN FLORIDA….ANNOUNCED AS PROMISED ON JUNE 20, no wait, HE WILL DECIDE ON AUGUST 30….kill me.
David Anderson tires of the waiting game, and implies that he will be supporting O’Donnell.
Nancy Willing relays wRong Williams’ opinion that Castle is definitely running and that Beau is not. Nancy projects that Ted Kaufman will run, even though he said he won’t.
Shirley calls bullshit on analysis that says Castle might change parties.
Finally, the continued work of the GENERAL ASSEMBLY remained the focus of the Delaware Blogosphere:
A new bill (HB229) to ban cell phones by Rep. Peach Pie?. This new bill would ban even “hands-free” devices, even though a straight ban on using cell phones while driving was defeated earlier this session. So how will a harsher bill pass?
Tommywonk continues to follow the progress of the energy bills in the GA, and announces that the first exploratory leases have awarded for offshore wind.
Anderson offers the view on the budget from the minority.
Resolute Determination looks at the potential tax increases proposed to close the budget gap and considers the political benefits to the GOP in the sin taxes failing to pass. They also suggest eliminating the Grants in Aid fund and wonder if the JFC knows what it is doing.
Art Downs is concerned that Governor Markell is going to abolish the $500 school tax credit for Seniors, despite no bill introduced to do that. RSmitty has more on the vast right wing conspiracy trying to gin up some outrage over a means testing, and thinks perhaps it is time to look at Colin Bonini as a Republican back bencher for Congress.
Hey Charlie Copeland, start referring to the Democratic Party properly or I will question your mental acuity.
Anderson concern trolls about HB 230, which seeks to end independent contractor abuse in construction.
RD writes about the consideration and passage of a HB 250, encouraging the film industry to film in Delaware. Matthews does too.
The normally astute Steve Newton forgets that we liberals want efficient and activist government, rather than an ever expanding and bloated government. The fight is to cut what is right, rather than what is necessary. Republicans and libertarians tend to want to cut the necessary and increase spending on the unnecessary (like our amazingly enormous defense budget nationally, for example). In Delaware, it will be a long process that will last beyond this one budget process, whose focus was necessarily on the emergency of balancing the budget in the short term. The long term considerations of cutting the fat will be the focus of the remainder of Governor Markell’s term.