We lost a blog this week, as Dana Garrett retired (temporarily perhaps) as a result of a new job that will take more of his time. That is the problem with individual blogging. You almost have to be retired, or independently wealthy, to do it by yourself. Now, some do it, and do it well, as they have enormous reservoirs of passion and motivation and inspiration. Yet the lack of all three does strike even the best of us, especially when our family and work responsibilities intrude. That is why individual blogs fail all too often. And that is why group blogs thrive, for when work and family obligations, or a lack of passion and inspiration, strike, another blogger is there to pick up the slack. That is why Delaware Liberal works so well. Yes, we have arguments amongst ourselves about particular opinions and takes on an issue, but that is found everywhere when a group of people work together.
Steve Newton bemoans the lack of more individual blogs on the liberal side. He thinks there is currently an imbalance. I am not sure about that. There is Delaware Way, Tommywonk, Kavips, Lower Slower Delaware, Redwaterlily, and the Palmer Lyceum (which is excellent, by the way), and nine bloggers here at Delaware Liberal. You also have moderate (or at least unclassifiable) bloggers like Kilroy and John Tobin out there. On the right, you have Delaware Politics and Resolute Determination, two conservative group blogs. You have Newton’s own Delaware Libertarian. Hube’s steaming pile of toxins is there as well. You have Shirley’s Delaware Curmudgeon. Brian Shield’s Mourning Constitution. Cato’s Delmarva Dealings provides some conservative coverage of Delaware as well. I am sure I am missing other blogs on both sides, but it looks to me that things are pretty balanced, and if anything is imbalanced, the tilt is towards the liberals, not away from it.
I think Steve’s problem is that he liked and respected Dana’s purely liberal take on events and will miss it. As will I. He and I often did not agree on issues, but his voice will be missed. Steve senses an imbalance as a result of Dana’s absence, because Steve regarded Dana as the true and unvarnished liberal voice, and with his low opinion of Delaware Liberal and its bloggers, there is no longer a liberal voice in Delaware. We love you too, Steve.
I think I can speak for everyone at DL in saying that Delaware Liberal’s door is always open to Dana Garrett if and when he ever wants to do a guest post.
Now, onto the countdown:
The Palmer Lyceum
Hey Steve, here is a great liberal blogger right here. He even celebrates his 100th post this week. He writes brilliantly about national politics.
On Transmigration
A great blog and a great writer, just nothing local politically this week. But please visit anyway.
Delaware Business Blog
Your weekly local Delaware business news roundup
Kilroy
Kilroy sharpened his photoshop skills in making fun of the breaking rumors this week that Beau Biden will run for Senate. But if you click on that link, he has removed the post. So I will repost the picture:
Del DOE approves the Winky Dink Charter School?
Markell turning a blind eye to resegregation?
Secretary Arne Duncan comes to Delaware.
His goal for 2010: All education laws must have their funding identified.
Kilroy on the radio? God help us.
Kilroy bids farewell to Dana.
Lt. Governor Matt Denn’s Blog
Nothing new this week.
Delmarva Dealings
Nothing new or Delaware related this week.
Delaware Liberal
Mike Castle and Beau Biden playing chicken? Personally, I think Castle will retire, but the overwhelming pressure from his party to run for the Senate is keeping him from announcing that. I do think he is waiting for Beau Biden to announce so that he can have an excuse to drop out. Perhaps then, he can say to his party “Look, I have nothing in the bank (literally and figuratively) to go against the son of the Vice President in his own state.” No matter what we think of Beau and his prospects, I do think that is Castle’s thinking here. So it is not a game a chicken per se, since Castle is not running but Beau is, and they both know that. But as always in this game of trying to figure Castle out, I could be wrong.
LiberalGeek on the overreaction to ACORN
El Som on the Rethug’s candidate for the Daryl Scott’s seat.
Hahahahahahaha. Love it.
Allan Loudell on the state of local radio in Delaware.
Pandora’s love letter to the other DL’s Tyler Nixon.
The regional RGGI is proof that the world will not end when Cap and Trade is passed in Washington. Another Conservative lie exposed.
LiberalGeek’s goodbye to Dana Garrett.
El Som on the 2010 Reapportionment in Delaware.
Our illustrious founder Jason Scott sparred with Tyler “I love Glenn Beck yet somehow am still a Libertarian” Nixon on WDEL this week. Read the Open Thread here.
El Som on why Democrats really lost the 37th RD election last Saturday all the way back in 2002.
By the Numbers
John looks at areas that have had increases or decreases in voter registration and then the implications for the 2012 reapportionment if those voter numbers reflect the population.
Delaware Politics
SCCOR and “9/12 Delaware Patriots” have merged. Oh. Joy. At least there is just one group of insane racist Christianist crazies instead of two. I guess that is a plus.
Anderson has his regional political roundup.
Anderson on the Markell response to the Lavelle FOIA request on Meconi
Anderson places himself in the company of John Dickerson and James Madison. Delusions of grandeur? Or just delusions?
Mike Musings
A Barn in the Spotlight.
Redwaterlily’s Ramblings
Shocking. Another liberal blogger.
Rep. John Atkins (R-Drunk) says a “hip hop mentality” is responsible for the police offer being shot in Georgetown. Once a Republican always a Republican.
Delaware Libertarian
Steve offers a roundup on reaction to the ACORN-prostitute scandal, and to Steve’s credit, he defends ACORN and criticizes us who don’t offer a strong defense. He is right. This is also the post noting the contracting Liberal blogosphere in Delaware. Then he offers a post on why Libertarians suck in response to my joking claim that they do. I was only joking Steve. Libertarians are scholars in comparison to the teabaggers, birthers, and deathers that constitute the modern Republican Party. They only suck when they throw their lot in with the aforementioned unholy trinity.
And he talks about local Pharmacy cards at Eckerds.
Tommywonk
Egads, another liberal blogger.
Lower Slower Delaware
My God, another liberal blogger. MJ wishes everyone a happy Rosh Hashonah to all and offers amends to those he has offended. You have not offended me, MJ.
Resolute Determination
Charlie Copeland goes into full conservative outrage mode over Markell and ACORN. Indeed, that blog should rename itself ACORN Determination given the amount of posts related to it.
CR has the Markell Administration response to the Lavelle FOIA request regarding Meconi.
Kavips
Hey look, yet another liberal blogger.
Delaware Way
Yes, another liberal blogger. Nancy has some perspective on ACORN.
A funny cartoon about Joan Deaver in Sussex County.