Some Random Political Musings
*If Richard Korn didn’t intend to, you know, actually campaign for office, why did he file? He’s hiding b/c he (allegedly) is afraid that Delawareans won’t take to his Lawn Guyland accent? Is this something he just discovered? Congratulations to Korn for enabling the profoundly mediocre Tom Wagner to waltz back into office.
*Brad Bennett has surpassed (the Brandywine Hundred) Dennis Williams as most-endangered D House incumbent. Celia had the DUI story, but what threw me for a loop was not only that he and his wife have separated, but that his wife is Brian Bushweller’s sister (daughter?). Anyways, while we may not know what’s been going on in the Bennett family manse, you can bet that they (residents of the district) do. Can’t say I feel any sympathy for Bennett. He’s just like his old man, a green eyeshade budget hawk with no personal empathy, and a ‘law & order’ guy always pushing the envelope on minimum mandatories. I love it when holier-than-thou types get their comeuppance.
*Ya gotta wonder if Joe Booth would have taken that sleazy pay grab from Sussex Tech if the hapless D’s had bothered to actually run someone against him. Betcha the ghoulish Adams family and Sen. Bob Venables (D-Mars) are right proud of themselves about getting the original nominee out of the Special Election. Wouldn’t be shocked if Venables is actually on the board at Sussex Tech. This story needs more reporting.
*John Carney’s sign presence in Brandywine Hundred is still piss poor. Could it be that people don’t want the sign of someone who supports keeping the Bush tax cuts for the rich on their lawn? Come to think of it, that’s why his sign isn’t on my lawn. I mean, seriously, we have heard hosannas from those who work for him about how he can’t stand intellectual dishonesty. Let me spell it out for John: As a Democrat who claims working-class roots and working-class values, your support of exorbitant tax cuts for billionaires is intellectually dishonest. Very cynical and very disappointing.
*Look for Ed Freel and the other Igors at Carper Cryogenics to get behind Bryon Short for Insurance Commissioner in 2012. At first glance, it makes sense as you’re replacing a total incompetent with someone who is, at the least, competent. But the Freel/Meconi presence should tell you all you need to know…no matter how ‘progressive’ the language may sound, the new IC will be every bit the shill for the insurance companies that Carper and Freel are/were. Remember that it was Short, chair of the House Insurance & Everything Else Committee, who said that there was ‘nothing (he) could do’ to hold Stewart’s feet to the fire. That statement was manna from heaven for the insurance industry. So, what we’ll get is a far more effective front man for the industry, which will mean that all’s right with the Delaware Way. And Short gives the greatest illusion of sincerity since Tom Carper, who he used to work for. I’ve never been fooled more completely by a politician, which is saying something after 25 years of working with them. Won’t get fooled again.
Wish I could be more positive about the D’s than this, but, aside from Coons, who shows some progressive bona fides, they’re far from an inspiring bunch.
Tags: 2010 Election; Brad Bennett; Richard Korn; Joe Booth; John Carney: Ed Freel: Tom Carper: Bryon Short
ES – I’m not sure what to tell you about Korn. I have seen him about once a week for the past 3 months. The guy seems to be at every rally, event, fundraiser and community gathering.
Yeah, I wish Carney were making some more progressive noises, but oh well.
I was about to say Carney will be another Carper. But Carney has a long way to fall to get down to Carper’s level. So there is hope.
Carper actually goes into committees and makes Democratic bills less Democratic.
On the other hand, at least Carper tends to vote for the Democratic tax agenda.
Um, I concur with liberalgeek. I see Richard Korn all the time at events.
Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed.
I see Richard Korn quite a bit too. I actually think I need to see him less, if he’s seeing the same people all the time.
I know for a fact that Korn has been campaigning hard for the office.
Booth still would have taken the job with Tech, but he would have waited until after Nov 2 to announce it. Venables isn’t on the school board for Tech. And the original candidate last year in the 19th was flawed and would have lost bigger than Polly-want-a-cracker did. Now, to find someone to challenge Venables in 2012. And his claim that Stonewall was behind the censure motion at the State Party is bullshit. The motion came out of the 38th District and the people who pushed it are straight.
Gosh El Som—this must’ve been a real difficult piece to write. Better watch it—the DL board will have you back covering weddings.
I haven’t seen or heard Carney since the Minner administration. He’s more low-key then the venerable COD! Dude, go on the Rick Jensen show already.
Cohen accurately describes Bennett’s wife as being Bushweller’s daughter. The Bennett separation was Leg. Hall info months ago. The same Legislative Hall folks report that the cause of the break up was a Leg. Hall staffer. The Delaware Politics account appears to be accurate with additional details over and above the Cohen account.
It appears Bennett is just an idiot. He could have kept that seat forever. Most folks thought they were voting for his Dad.
The Joe Booth thing is the sleaziest legislative hiring since Larry Sullivan retired. The repellent smarminess of Sussex Tech is an annoyance throughout the county. Usually, they’re less blatant.
Retirement at full pay for a guy who lectures the rest of us on free-market “conservative” views. I assume we can expect Bodie to chase Booth in ’12. [If he were to unseat him, Booth would be unemployed by Return Day.]
I’ve seen Korn at events too. He even appears at conservative-leaning events. I have a lot of respect for someone with the courage to face his political opposition.
Remember when we picked Short over Brady because he said he was a died in the wool, yellow-dog progressive? Oh well, if he keeps up his current campaign he may not be afforded the opportunity to let us down again.
Maybe it’s only Brandywine Hundred where Korn’s chosen not to campaign. Haven’t seen a single sign nor the candidate himself. Going to events with party insiders is important, but real contact with real voters is needed to have a chance.
Short was chosen over Carl ‘The Tuna’ Colantuono for the Special Election. Brady had stepped aside. Had Travis run that year (she wanted to, but Wayne stuffed his next-door neighbor down the Rethugs’ throats), she likely would have won. Doubt that she can now, but she’s running a competitive race.
And, after seeing John’s ‘working-class roots’ commercial, I am left to wonder, “Why is he turning his back on those roots by shilling for the billionaires on the hill?” It’s both bad policy and intellectually dishonest.
El Somnambulo,
Here is the makeup of the Sussex Tech Board:
Richard Lewis, President
Patrick Cooper, Vice President
Teresa Carey, Judy Emory
Mark Isaacs, Annelle O’Neal
John Oliver
Patrick Savini, Executive Secretary
http://profiles.doe.k12.de.us/SchoolProfiles/District/Default.aspx?checkSchool=0&districtCode=40&district=Sussex Technical
COD said she’ll be at the VA in Ellesmere at 10. I’ll be there to BRACE her with one question.
Does she SUPPORT Joe Miller’s position to privatize VA health-care?
Nice post. as usual, El Som.
I have to agree with El Som as far as I have not seen a single Korn yard sign in the Elsmere, Newark and New Castle areas. He may be going to events, but is he going out and talking to the everyday voters?
skipper,
Report back what O’Donnell says if you get to ask the question.
IF she shows. I’ll spread the word around to the rest there to multiply the chances. Heading out now.
El Som, please don’t misreport Bryon Short’s positions or the circumstances of his nomination. You can speculate all you want about the vast Carper Conspiracy. That’s entertainment. But if you want to give these people the erroneous impression that you were in on the backroom discussions before the special, I’m calling you on it. As a prospective candidate yourself, you were not in the room.
It turned out to be a non-event. The PIO at the VA informed me NO candidates are allowed to use the VA as a public backdrop for political purposes.
I stayed to make sure.
Saw one guy with a O’Donnell T-shirt and BRACED him on THE QUESTION.He didn’t know and still expected her to show up after I told him the FACTS.
He came out of the VA 15 minutes later and in my best Edgar G.Robinson voice I asked him:” Where’s your candidate now”?
I think it is funny that this writer is criticizing Representative Short on how he feels he would do in a job that Bryon does not currently have, nor has he ever made an indication that he would seek. Please cite specific votes that lead you to believe that Bryon is “a shill for the insurance companies” or the banking industry which you have previously suggested. Why don’t you actually pick up the phone and call Bryon and ask him his position on specific banking or insurance policy before making these claims?
As for your specific references to Senator Carper. Bryon worked for Senator Carper beginning in 1990, which is over 20 years ago. Bryon left employment with Senator Carper around 1994 and went on to work for the State of Delaware and then started his own business. Bryon considers Tom a friend and Tom supports Bryon’s campaign when Bryon’s campaign reaches out and asks him for help. Senator Carper and Ed Freel, also a friend, are not involved with Bryon’s campaign beyond that, nor are they part of any discussions or decision making regarding Bryon’s decisions to run for elected office. This writer knows this is untrue as he was at one time part of Bryon’s campaign and he knows that neither Tom Carper or Ed Freel are sitting at Bryon’s dining room table making decisions about the campaign.
As for the two people making claims that Bryon is not a progressive, keep in mind that the Progressive Democrats have endorsed Bryon in both the 2008 election cycle and this election cycle. Again, pick up the phone and ask Bryon his positions, he will be more than happy to answer any questions.
The other, and most offensive, comment of all the comments above regarding Bryon’s sincerity cannot go without response. These personal attacks on Bryon’s character are really disgusting. That this writer would use his position as a writer on this blog to take out his misdirected anger on Representative Short should not go unchecked. Bryon continued to care about this person, and still does, even after all of the horrible things he has said about Bryon on this blog.
“Remember that it was Short, chair of the House Insurance & Everything Else Committee, who said that there was ‘nothing (he) could do’ to hold Stewart’s feet to the fire.”
Mama Grizzly, follow your own advice and explain away the quote instead of telling us what a swell guy Bryon is. Is he an ally of Carper and Freel? If so, please explain that away, too.
I have explained Bryon’s relationship to Senator Carper and Ed Freel. Tom Carper is a former employer of Bryon’s from many years ago who treated Bryon well during his employment. I don’t know what you are inferring by using the word ally. If you have a specific question, then ask it.
As for the quote, please reference where Bryon said that. Bryon never said “there’s nothing I can do.” Someone has stated that on this blog and it has been repeated as fact. Not true.
Now, I am going to stop wasting my time fighting with people who are supposed to play on our own team and I am going to use the rest of my time today trying to get Democrats elected.
“I am going to stop wasting my time fighting with people who are supposed to play on our own team and I am going to use the rest of my time today trying to get Democrats elected.”
You’re either stupid or disingenuous if you don’t know what I mean by “ally.” This is a liberal/progressive site, not a Democratic site, so I question what you mean by “our team.” Tom Carper and Ed Freel aren’t on “my team.” And you haven’t explained anything — you have put up a partisan-based attack on someone who has a low opinion of Bryon Short that basically amounts to “you can’t prove any of it.”
I really don’t care what Bryon Short runs for, and I’d much rather have a Democrat in that office than a Republican. But there are Democrats and then there are Democrats. I don’t care for Delaware’s Democratic Party or many of the Democrats it produces, because on some issues it is less “progressive” than the Republican Party, or at least the GOP’s northern wing.
So take your “team” and shove it up your fuzzy ursine ass.
Where have you been? Brad Bennett has been laying pipe with a state legislators daughter and yes his wife is Bushweiller’s daughter.
Way to go Dems, you done good.
Heragain: I didn’t ‘misreport’ anything. Only pointed out that Brady had dropped out. Which is true. The Tuna and Short were the only two left standing, as in, actively seeking the nomination. Unless you want to count Jeff Politis, who didn’t even make it to the candidate forum.
Please don’t ‘misrepresent’ what I said.
ES – I’m not sure what to tell you about Korn. I have seen him about once a week for the past 3 months. The guy seems to be at every rally, event, fundraiser and community gathering.
*
Richard has had an hourly television show for 6 years so I doubt he is fearful of anyone hearing his voice. Silly.
I asked him a few weeks ago if he was going to be running radio or tv ads and he said that he was. I expect that will up start soon enough.
Both Byron Short and Brian Bushweller worked for Carper. Brian’s bio points to Carper as his primary emloyer for life:
“Before becoming a state senator, Bushweller was the State Director for U.S. Senator Tom Carper, he was the Secretary of the Delaware Department of Public Safety, the Legislative Liaison for Governor Tom Carper and the Teacher Union Field Representative.” from Ballotpedia
I wonder how many in the legislature bear that mark.
Mama Grizzly: I know Bryon Short as well as anybody who posts here, save his own family. I worked my butt off to get him elected twice. I endorsed him when I dropped out of the race. I totally believed in the guy. I mean, totally.
I know first-hand how insincere his ‘sincerity’ is. It cost me my job and my career. After 25 years in Dover, this guy couldn’t be bothered to stick up for someone who stuck his neck out for him. If there’s ANYthing I know, it’s Short’s lack of sincerity. People believe him just like they believed Carper b/c he has learned how to seem sincere.
Never forget that old political adage: “The most important trait for a politician is sincerity. Learn how to fake that, and you can get away with anything.” People will buy that sincerity hook, line and sinker just like they did (and I did) with Carper. The beneficiaries will be the insurance and banking institutions that underwrite the Carper wing of what passes for the Democratic Party. Ed Freel was practically managing his campaign out of D HQ, so don’t feed me that ‘he’s moved on’ bleep. How do you think he ended up the chair of the Banking, Insurance, etc. Commmittee so fast? He’s being groomed, and it ain’t by Bob Gilligan.
As for ‘caring’ about me, he totally screwed me. He never lifted a bleeping finger on my behalf. If by ‘caring’ you meant ‘felt guilty’, then maybe. But I sure as bleep wouldn’t know since we only talked once after I got screwed. And that conversation was…awkward, to put it mildly.
I didn’t intend for this to get so personal, but I’ve had to sit back for two years now nursing this wound that will never go away. I won’t let his apologists distort what happened.
If anything, I’ve bent over backwards to be fair to the guy. But his next step on the political ladder seems pretty clear to me, and I have every right to place it into context. Feel free to disagree to your heart’s content.
“I know first-hand how insincere his ’sincerity’ is. It cost me my job and my career. After 25 years in Dover, this guy couldn’t be bothered to stick up for someone who stuck his neck out for him.”
is there a link to the backstory here?
I miss Dave Brady.
Wayne Smith and his gang couldn’t defeat Dave in the elections, so they absorbed his district into Smith’s, Valihura’s and Lavelle’s when they redrew the lines.
Given a choice between Brady and Short, it’s Brady by a mile.
Don’t be so stupid.
When the districts were re drawn Wayne Smith gave a gift to Lavelle and Wayne took on a more democratic presence in his district.
Brady was a double dipper who sucked off the system for 20 years, not one but of substance to the guy.
Actually, that’s not quite what happened. There was close to a mutiny in the caucus when Wayne unveiled his original plan. The result was that he had to draw Brady into his district. His leadership post was in serious jeopardy had he failed to do that. If Valihura, Dave Ennis, and Lavelle bailed on him, there were enough downstaters to join them to take the post away from him.
El Som, I am truly, and deeply, sorry for your wound and regret that the party apparatus that you have given so much to has lost your support. Sux, and not least for the party itself.
I don’t remember the sequence of events for the special the way you do. Who dropped out, and when… we remember that differently. There’s no point in our playing that, and I respect you too much to do that, anyway.
But you have zero evidence for the conspiracy or job path you have constructed here for Bryon. None. It’s clear you hate the guy and don’t trust him. Well, fair enough. We all have our stuff.
But it has to be said, since you’re doing this in a public forum, that all this “He’s a frontman for Freel & going to IC to be a shill…” that’s all in your vivid imagination. I should probably disclose now that I, myself, have both purchased and collected insurance, and I’ve often been in a room with Tom Carper. I’ve never worked for him, but if he offered me a job I’d probably take it. And I’d probably be good at it and find it fascinating, into the bargain.
If that’s enough to disqualify me from office holding for the rest of my life, there won’t be many people left pure enough to elect. It’ll be all Alvin Greene, all the time.
Alvin Greene and Tom Carper aren’t, one would hope, the only possibilities for people aspiring to public office. Real Democrats, who represent the bedrock Democratic constituency, are who I want to see elected. Tom Carper is not one of those guys, IMHO. He has willingly embraced the corporatocracy, aka oligarchy, which I fear controls this country now.
I don’t hate Bryon Short. I just won’t ever figure out why he did, or didn’t do, what he should have done.
Losing a job is one thing, especially in an economy like ours. But it’s not like I’m the only one, or lost my job with anything approaching the tragic finality of others.
Losing a job w/o explanation, which is possible only b/c those who work for caucuses aren’t in the Merit System, is another thing. Especially since no explanation is required (once again, the General Assembly exempts themselves from what is required of virtually all other state agencies) or, in this case, forthcoming. When you work hard and, as part of a team, help elect a D majority in the House for the first time in 25 years, and are ambushed in your office by Valerie Longhurst, told to vacate the premises in 20 minutes, w/o a word of explanation from anybody, including the guy you most helped elect, that’s quite another.
One more thing, heragain, Carper would never offer you a job. Don’t fit the Freel profile. Trust me, you’re better off for it.
Bryon Short did not hire you nor was he responsible for firing you. The House Democratic caucus leadership and adminstrators make those decisions and you know that. Yes, individual legislators have some say in who assists them but that person has to work for more than one legislator. The individual legislators don’t get to hire their own private assistant. It is something that is negotiated amongst them. Bryon could not force other legislators to take you on as their assistant.
I would love to comment on this further but feel that it is totally inappropriate to be discussing your personal employment situation in such a public manner. All I will say is that Bryon did try to help you keep your job. Either you are unaware of the actions he took or you choose to ignore them so that you can direct your anger at someone.
As for your other comments in your previous post, when Bryon ran in the special election, the Democratic party ran the campaign because Bryon did not have a campaign structure in place at that time. I am sure Ed Freel was in the headquarters, as were most other people involved with the party at that time. Everyone in the Democratic Party wanted to win this seat and people came from all over the state to work on the election. I will reiterate that Ed has not played any major part of Bryon’s campaign other than coordinating assistance during each cycle from Tom Carper attesting to the good work Bryon did as a constituent services representative in his office when he worked there. Tom Carper is a former employer. Bryon did work in his office that is relevant to his current position. He will likely continue to refer to work he did in that office from time to time due to its relevance.
And your suggestion that Tom Carper or Ed Freel had anything to do with the current committee chairmanships is just simply not true. Bryon gained the respect of the Democratic caucus leadership, he requested those committees and he was assigned the chairmanship. I also can assure you that neither Tom Carper nor Ed Freel have ever even so much as mentioned the Insurance Commissioners office to Bryon.
And by the way, Bryon’s work with his small business has at times put him at odds with both the banking and insurance industries. If you look back to his statements during the special election, one of his main motivator for running in the first place was the drastic increases in health insurance costs for small business owners. Why don’t you look at some of the legislation he sponsored since being in office which could be viewed as banking industry unfriendly? In particular, his legislation that cracked down on reverse mortgages.
No, I do not think you have been very fair. You do have every right to make predictions about a candidate’s potential move to another political office. But I also have a right to correct misstatements and untrue assertions.
I have heard that Byron reads this blog faithfully. Prolly to make sure ES isn’t talkin’ on him!
This is a very satisfying thread. heh. Methinks the wounds are on the HIGH DEMs with some of their shenanigans having been exposed.
Right. That’s the take-away. “Democrats eat their own.”
Can’t imagine why we keep getting the “legislation = making sausage” stuff brought up, when we talk about open government, when there’s a perfectly good blogosphere with anon posting and NO journalistic accountability to slow it down.
Who needs Fox? Hell, we need no help to sound too stupid and petty to govern. *shakes head*
I doubt Bryon reads this blog. Man is BUSY.
“And by the way, Bryon’s work with his small business has at times put him at odds with both the banking and insurance industries.”
I’m not buying it. Brian’s campaign finance report just came out (http://php.delawareonline.com/state/campaignFinance/pdfs/lawmakers/bshort.pdf), some of his contributors were:
Valero – Maxed out
Citigroup – Maxed out
Medco Health Solutions – $300
Metropolitan Insurance Company – $300
Artisan Bank – $100
Wilmington Trust – $100
and 3 contributions from the Delaware Banker’s Association
I understand and respect Mama Grizzly’s ardent defense, even though she doesn’t know how caucus decisions are made.
I’ll grant you that I may have gone overboard and laid out what happened too starkly. I thought those wounds were at least bandaged, but I was clearly wrong.
I stick by my initial point, however. Bryon Short is precisely the sort of ‘D’ who the Freels of this world would want as Insurance Commissioner. The blank slate of plausible progressivism to actually do the insurance industry’s bidding. In other words, very much like what Carper was almost 30 years ago.
El Som, I disagree but I wish you the best.
“Right. That’s the take-away. “Democrats eat their own.” ”
I realize that a bunch of people here, both posters and commenters, are invested, sometimes heavily, in the Democratic Party. But this absurd notion that the rest of us are somehow unentitled to know what goes on behind the scenes is exactly why there’s a Tea Party, and why it’s so easy for its leaders to demonize Democrats.
If you really think Republicans don’t eat their own — and that it’s people furthest from the political center who do most of the chewing — please ask Mike Castle about it.
Meanwhile, feel free to make the case for progressive ideals championed by Tom Carper or any member of the Freel family. Please consider, in answering, that support of unions does not count as “progressive,” as the 1950s ended quite some time ago, 9 of every 10 workers doesn’t belong to one, and most in Delaware represent the interests of the industries in which they work, not those of other working people in Delaware.
I realize I’ll probably have to wait until the 12th of Never for the answer, but I just want you to know that I, and some others here, will start being loyal to the Carper gang the moment it shows its first-ever sign of loyalty to someone who doesn’t represent a monied interest.
“…because on some issues it is less “progressive” than the Republican Party, or at least the GOP’s northern wing.”
Who is in the R’s northern wing? and if they are who I think they are, progressive isn’t a word that would come to mind.
“…that support of unions does not count as “progressive,” as the 1950s ended quite some time ago, 9 of every 10 workers doesn’t belong to one, and most in Delaware represent the interests of the industries in which they work, not those of other working people in Delaware”
Also, just because smaller % of workers are unionized today and the fact that they advocate primarily for their members doesn’t seem to disqualify them as being progressive…fair pay, good benefits, workers rights etc seem to ring true as progressive ideas…especially today.
It was the northern Republicans who hatched the indoor smoking ban. It was the northern Republicans who forced the Democrats’ hand on open government in Dover. I don’t care “who” nearly as much as I care “what.”
“just because smaller % of workers are unionized today and the fact that they advocate primarily for their members doesn’t seem to disqualify them as being progressive”
Does for me. I watched union pipefitters and boilermakers testify against pollution control equipment for the Valero refinery. I have repeatedly watched union construction tradesmen advocate in favor of loosened restrictions on development in New Castle County. The notion that advocating for higher wages for your members qualifies you as “progressive” is exactly why the Democratic Party is a rat’s nest of thugs and special interests, and why 9 out of 10 working people have no reason to support it.
“It was the northern Republicans who hatched the indoor smoking ban. It was the northern Republicans who forced the Democrats’ hand on open government in Dover.”
Well, since you’ve said on a couple occasions lately that you are thinking about rejoining the Republican Party, perhaps you ought to go ahead and do so post haste. That way we can all stop enduring your fable that you are a progressive. Besides, everyone who knows you has realized for some time that your progressive credentials are merely a few yards wide and an inch deep. Witness how you have skewed how open government came to Delaware. You made the Republicans the principal cause of it in your statement. That, as a matter of fact, is wrong. You’ve got the GOP spin down perfectly. As I said, you ought to go ahead and join them. That’s where your political instincts lie.
“…is exactly why the Democratic Party is a rat’s nest of thugs and special interests, and why 9 out of 10 working people have no reason to support it.”
How would you describe the Republican Party?
Would you agree that there have been battles that Unions have won that led to better benefits and wages for other workers…outside of their members?
In many companies where union and salary workers co-exist, medical and other benefits for all workers improved due to the unions efforts. And no I am not a union member…while you point out the bad I would like to recognize the good.
I don’t believe people aren’t entitled to know what goes on behind the scenes. I just object to people claiming inside knowledge who weren’t there.
There are people on this board who’ve been in a lot of rooms I haven’t. I can’t argue with them about that. I was in one particular room.
And the ‘democrats eat their own” wasn’t to imply the R’s don’t too. I think we saw that in the primary. I’m just saying that having what are essentially private squabbles on the internet. (being that we’re all using anon handles, here, it’s not exactly a grievance hearing) only gives readers without the scorecard the general impression that we’re petty losers, in the Democratic party.
I don’t believe that. There are elected D’s I’d help into retirement any day. I look for replacements for them. There are elected R’s that don’t usually bother me. But I committed to the Democratic party for a simple reason. Looking at the stated goals of both parties – if without any negotiation those goals could be achieved, by magic, if you will 😉 , would the world be a better place with the R list or with the D list?
I don’t believe either Bush gave a rat’s ass about restricting abortion, or achieving any of the other goals of the social wing of that party. That’s just to get out the vote. But if they DID do it, it would be bad.
I don’t expect any politician to be perfect, D or R. But the party they choose represents a direction they agree with, and the direction I support is Democratic.
I am so tired of Heragain misrepresenting my position that I will follow with one final point as this has already been beaten to death.
I was HAPPY with what ‘went on in the room’. Please point me to something that I said that expresses dissatisfaction with what ‘went on in the room’. When I dropped out, I endorsed Bryon Short and called every committee person I could think of (including Heragain) to let them know of the endorsement and that I was really enthusiastic about it. I know that Dave Brady had dropped out b/c, on the same day that I had decided to drop out, he called me to tell me that HE had decided to drop out. We both had a good laugh over it.
The only reason I had thrown my name in in the first place was b/c I was convinced that Carl Colantuono, who had even manipulated the committee membership to buoy his chances (which is why I wasn’t ‘in the room’), didn’t have the fire in the belly to win, and I didn’t want to see us blow this chance. I viewed myself more as a place-holder than a candidate. Once I saw Bryon, it was easy for me to throw my support to him.
So, yes, I was not IN THE ROOM. But even my calcified memory recalls that this was a contest between Carl and Bryon. I mean, geez, get your facts right for once.
I can vouch for El Som’s ardent support for Short in the special election. He really knocked himself out for Bryon.
“Witness how you have skewed how open government came to Delaware. You made the Republicans the principal cause of it in your statement.”
I said that they “forced the Democrats’ hand.” Democrats with no power within their party were its original champions but couldn’t get it done until the Republicans picked up the issue and used it as a cudgel — at which point Bob Gilligan changed his long-standing opposition to the idea. That’s as close to spinless as I can make it, and a far cry from how you misrepresented what I said.
“everyone who knows you has realized for some time that your progressive credentials are merely a few yards wide and an inch deep.”
I suppose so, if by “progressive” you mean “pro-union,” which is generally what you mean when you say “progressive.” The issues on which we disagree usually revolve around that. My position is actually “anti-corporate,” which in Delaware makes me anti-union, since unions in this state usually back up the corporate interests that hire them.
“since you’ve said on a couple occasions lately that you are thinking about rejoining the Republican Party, perhaps you ought to go ahead and do so post haste. …That’s where your political instincts lie.”
That last sentence is actually just a quote of what I’ve said, because in the end I believe in fiscal conservatism (not the kind Republicans preach these days, simply old-fashioned prudence) and social libertarianism. But I don’t join political parties to illustrate my rooting interests — I do it to vote in primaries. I am only a Democrat today because I wanted to vote against Sherry Freebery. I will switch back to Republican in time for the next election, because they’re having a far more interesting civil war.
But you tell me to do this as if it would be evidence of something. It’s a letter beside my name, and it doesn’t tell anyone very much. John Kowalko and Bob Venables both have a D next to their names. Beyond that, what do they have in common?
“How would you describe the Republican Party?”
A bunch of eager peasants jostling for crumbs that fall off their master’s table.
“Would you agree that there have been battles that Unions have won that led to better benefits and wages for other workers…outside of their members?”
Yes, but not in Delaware, and not often.
“fair pay, good benefits, workers rights etc seem to ring true as progressive ideas…especially today.”
But not as acquired through unions. The reason our health care system is a mess is partly the fault of unions, which fought for it for their members rather than society-wide. As a result, creation of a job requires a commitment of tens of thousands of dollars by an employer for benefits that, in European countries, are supplied by the government through taxes. By tying health and pension benefits to jobs, we have erected a rather high barrier to creation of each job.
The labor-management paradigm is outmoded, and the synthesis out of it is what we’ve got in Delaware today — union members advocating for their employers. But they cling to their power in the Democratic Party, and the more power they have in it, the less there is for anyone else. Hence my position on unions — not in general, but here in Delaware and now in 2010.