In Which We Find Karen Weldin Stewart Abandoning Delaware Consumers Again
Back in June, we discussed the actions of KWS to apply for waivers from the medical cost ratio rule for two insurance companies so that they can continue to pay commissions to brokers and sales agents. Since then, HHS has finalized its rule that requires that the costs to pay premiums or other support to brokers and sales agents be categorized as Administrative Costs and therefore included to the maximum 20% overhead allowed by the ACA. Delaware’s own Insurance Commissioner voted in a recent NAIC action to vote on a resolution that recommends that Congress exempt the fees insurance agents and brokers from medical loss ratio calculations (pdf) and that HHS revive their rulemaking to exclude brokers and agents from the the administrative costs of insurance companies.
This is still a remarkable position. Especially since one of the major points of the ACA is to rein in some of the excesses of insurance companies and get them to spend more of your premium dollar on your health care. The ACA is trying to protect consumers with its medical cost ratio provision and KWS is voting to weaken it. Weaken it such that brokers get paid and you get less health care or pay higher premiums. In casting her vote for this, she is reported to have made this argument:
Karen Stewart, Commissioner from Delaware, added her support of the resolution:
• Delaware has to protect their consumers. Since the majority of Delaware residents have private insurance, the medical loss ratio doesn’t really relate to most Delaware consumers.
• Delaware does have a small insurance company that has been at 80 – 88% MLR for years. They are being merged with a larger company because they can’t carry that high an MLR and stay in business.
Did you see that? I think that this is te BCBSD merging with Highmark deal (were there other mergers we missed hearings about this year?) and I thought that the IC supported that because BCBSD needed a new computer system. This is the first time I saw that they needed the merger because they couldn’t live with the MLR, besides, I thought I saw someplace that BCBSD was comfortably living within the 80% already. I could be wrong on that.
But what I’m not wrong on is the fact that KWS is completely abandoning the people who pay premiums for the people who get paid to collect them. The vote on the NAIC resolution was close — 26 yes votes, 20 no votes, and 5 abstentions. I’m not sure about how much weight this resolution has with either Congress of the HHS, but the Insurance Commissioners who voted to support this thing should resign their offices immediately — since they clearly don’t know what Consumer Protection is meant to be. It isn’t the job of Insurance Commissioners to help support the slow dismantling of key bits of the ACA, either — and this is one small bite at the apple. Add up enough exclusions and waivers and you’ve changed how this law is supposed to work. These exclusions are not meant to make this law successful, you know. Insurance companies who can’t meet the 80% threshold have to refund the difference to their customers. But the commissions just aren’t that much money — 1-3% of a premium, I understand. This is just about insurance companies trying to get state ICs to help them weaken what they can of the ACA so they can keep as much money for themselves and not spend it on medical services.
I’d ask everyone to call and tell KWS that she needs to stop representing brokers and start representing us, except I’m thinking that she just might write letters supporting MLR waivers to HHS for each of us who called.
THAT is appalling. Who ELSE can I call?
While some of the teabag rethuglican members of Congress will praise this vote and use it in debate, HHS will say “thank you” and ignore it.
KWS’s vote is one more reason she needs to be replaced with someone who will look out for the consumer. Someone like Mitch Crane.
“KWS is completely abandoning the people who pay premiums for the people who get paid to collect them.”
I think that pretty much sums up her tenure as Insurance Commissioner. It’s almost amusing (until you consider the people who she has hurt) to watch her claim to be a consumer advocate every time she takes an action that is, in fact, detrimental to consumers.
Furthermore, the fact that private insurance companies are fighting to keep the MLR above 20% while medicare’s overhead runs at around 2% should put an end to the dogmatic claim that private health insurance is somehow more efficient than government insurance.
I feel sorry for KWS. In her pea sized brain it all makes sense. If companies are more profitable, they are more able to help consumers. It is simple Reaganomics applied to Insurance, and I’m sure she hears it night and day from the Insurance company lobbyists who she thinks are her friends.
Even at a 20% cap, the ACA itself abandoned “the people who pay premiums for the people who get paid to collect them.”
What could be a purer example of administrative overhead costs than “fees paid to middlemen?”
Karen Weldin Stewart’s vote against consumers is no suprise. She’s been in the pockets of the insurance industry from day one. The WNJ predictably ignored this important event, which makes you wonder how long these idiots are going to continue to support her and her abuse of the IC’s office for personal gain. They only published a brief but outraged opinion letter to the editor that so far hasn’t generated any comments: http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011112030317
No one comments there anymore. Facebook commenting has killed the discussion over there.
“her abuse of the IC’s office for personal gain.”
By “personal gain,” I assume you mean “a car and a salary.”
Oh shut up already, Geezer. Your lame protests are getting old. You know damn well what the score is. If you don’t, you’re pretty much by yourself.
Shut up already yourself. You’re the one who keeps making charges you can’t substantiate.
Hardly.
Then substantiate them. Aren’t you the one who goes on about Swiss bank accounts? Or is that another hyperbole addict?
I owe you nothing.
And you have no credibility, either. Grow up or shut up.
Criticism of policy decisions is one thing. The constant drumbeat about ‘massive corruption” with zero proof is just BS. Take your best shot, the Lady will poll over 50%in a 3 way primary, cheers.
Agreed JSG…If corruption is rampant why didn’t Crane blow the whistle when he was there? The viciousness of the attacks on Karen is appalling and we are not even in 2012 yet…At least one candidate for IC is running a clean campaign…
While we’re in the business of asking for evidence, let’s have some that any of the candidates are not running a clean campaign. Otherwise, anon, you are pretty much doing exactly what Paul here is doing.
Read any thread about Karen here…or go to Mitch’s website…You won’t have to look far.
“The Insurance Commissioner is the only elected official whose job is to protect the insurance consumer. That job is not currently being performed. If elected, I will stand up for the consumer as I have done all my professional life.”
The not-so-subtle implication is incompetence if not outright corruption by Karen. The mantra of the IC’s office being a consumer champion is repeated throughout the home page of his site.
Let’s go to the issues page. “Put the consumer first.” He then proceeds to attack Karen directly twice. Go through the rest of his website. There are things like references to the IC office’s “former” mission. (Crane worked for Karen for two years and said nothing publicly despite being the consumer protection chief…until he began to run for office)
Crane can run on his ideas and let people contrast them to Karen’s record. Most of the comments on his endorsements page are purely pro-Mitch. He isn’t running a positive campaign because he knows he can’t win that way…
Whoa, whoa, whoa. There is no dispute whatever about her competence. She has none. She’s all the proof anyone will ever need that the office needs to be taken out of the voters’ hands, because they don’t know what the job consists of or who could do it best.
I don’t know who you two clowns are, but if you think Karen Weldin Stewart has done a good job I’ve got a useless insurance policy to sell you.
My call for evidence of PERSONAL enrichment is just that — a call for evidence. There is no doubt whatever that she is greatly enjoying her perks of office, and there is very little doubt that she is too inarticulate to explain anything to a layman. There’s no need to blame corruption for what incompetence can explain.
And if she wins the primary, I”m one Democrat who will work tirelessly to defeat her in the general, no matter who the Republicans run against her. She’s that bad.
Even if you believe all of that Crane has no credibility…Crane attacking Karen’s consumer protection record is like Timothy Geithner attacking Obama’s economic record…Crane was her Director of Consumer Services & Investigations from January 2009 to January of this year. Did it take him two years to figure out Karen’s alleged malfeasance? If he believed his campaign rhetoric he would have blown the whistle and left early. Instead he did not say a peep publicly. If you disapprove of Karen your only serious and credible option is Vincent White…Crane is part and parcel of the very record he now conveniently denounces…
“If he believed his campaign rhetoric he would have blown the whistle and left early.”
Someone supporting Karen Weldin Stewart by telling others how to behave in a job is your example of credibility? Good luck with that.
“Instead he did not say a peep publicly.”
So let’s see — the only way he could have proved his credibility was to get himself fired? You really are a Democrat Party stooge, aren’t you?
“If you disapprove of Karen your only serious and credible option is Vincent White”
No, if I were brain dead and a Democratic Party functionary my option would be another turd of a Democrat.
“Crane is part and parcel of the very record he now conveniently denounces”
I’d say good try, but it’s not, really. It’s just another Democratic stooge floating an attack-ad trial balloon. Clean campaign my ass.
Thank you, though, for making it clear which candidate the Delaware Democrats are most frightened by. That alone makes him worth my vote.
Geezer, he’s not a Dem party stooge, he’s channeling Elliott Jacobson. Only thing he needs is an all-you-can-eat buffet and he’ll be happy.
Or maybe “he” could go to the office Christmas party and curse the women at his table for making Christian reference at a CHRISTMAS party:). Two males with two bad tempers have no shot against a compassionate woman. All your “facts” for naught, the lady will win on style and perception , cheers
“So let’s see — the only way he could have proved his credibility was to get himself fired? You really are a Democrat Party stooge, aren’t you?”
Presumably it is a merit position… http://www.delawarepersonnel.com/search/mrules.asp
If it is an appointed one that doesn’t make things much better. What I suggested is precisely what Crane claims he did. It just took him two years to resign in protest months before he launched his campaign…Your excuse is weak on its own anyway. According to you he is for protecting the consumer–except when it does not serve his self-interest? What a consumer champion and leader! My guess is he won’t be in the next edition of profiles in courage…
“No, if I were brain dead and a Democratic Party functionary my option would be another turd of a Democrat.”
Republicans are not on the ballot in the September Democratic, or as you and Rush call it the “Democrat Party”, primary. In November you can vote Republican for IC and whatever other offices you desire.
Crane was a top official in the IC’s office for two years–and the director of the consumer protection unit, not the IT or the fraud units, not the water cooler manager. Yet he has nothing to do with Karen’s consumer protection record? Good luck selling that…Crane implemented–repeat–implemented–Karen’s consumer protection agenda for two years. He is part and parcel of the record he now self-servingly denounces.
“Thank you, though, for making it clear which candidate the Delaware Democrats are most frightened by.”
The Delaware Democrats who honored Crane as the Sussex Democrat of the year? Delaware Democrats like two past New Castle County chairs, the current Kent County chair and Richard Korn, the 2010 party favorite?
Who from the party establishment has endorsed Karen, Geezer? You are naive, a big Crane supporter or out of the “Democrat” loop if you think Crane is “feared” by the “Democrat” party–the party that gave him an award and standing ovation a few weeks ago at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner…Crane is the establishment’s candidate of choice…The party has repeatedly rejected this woman in favor of men like Denn, Reed and soon Crane…Yet Crane–who sits on the party’s executive committee (another nice perch to “fight for the consumer” from 2009-2010)–is the candidate the party fears? GTFO…
Karen’s record is known and will be discussed in detail next year. Crane has gotten a pass thus far as he consolidates his support among the powers that be. His record does not comport with his self-serving 2011 rhetoric. Crane is another politician who will say anything to get elected…If you dislike Karen, your only credible alternative in the Democratic primary is Vincent White.
“as you and Rush call it the “Democrat Party”,
You should learn to read better. It’s Democratic Party in the very line you quoted.
You clearly know more about this than I do. My only interest is in seeing KWS out of the office. Crane was brought into the office by Matt Denn, wasn’t he? Denn did a good job in the office, didn’t he? Therefore I’ll go with Crane until I see a good reason not to — and sorry, his lack of courage (or more likely, need for a job) doesn’t constitute a good reason to me.
Vincent White has no record of consumer protection that I’ve heard of. Enlighten me.
One last thing — playing the gender card is lame and reprehensible. This has nothing to do with Karen’s gender.
“Two males with two bad tempers have no shot against a compassionate woman.”
Karen Welding Stewart is too inarticulate to come off as compassionate. Just listen to her on the radio sometime. She sounds clueless and brain-addled. I agree, if two people run against her she will probably win the primary. Worked for Harris McDowell.
My question is who’s paying for Vincent White to run? And why are two KWS supporters cheering his candidacy? You folks are not clever enough by half.
Anon – really now, we all know you’re Vincent White and the only thing you and JSG are doing on here is to try to fling some mud to see what sticks. Sadly, none of it will.
JSG, – wtf are you talking about regarding a Xmas party? More bullshit from a tax cheat and check kiter.
“Crane was brought into the office by Matt Denn, wasn’t he? Denn did a good job in the office, didn’t he? Therefore I’ll go with Crane until I see a good reason not to — and sorry, his lack of courage (or more likely, need for a job) doesn’t constitute a good reason to me.”
That is strange logic. This is a three-way, not a two-way primary. Denn did bring Crane to the IC’s office as a mid-level official. Karen, upon taking office, promoted Crane to the top consumer protection position. That is what is lost in all this…Crane was not a random cog in the IC machine…He was the top dog for consumer protection. If the IC’s office had a cabinet Crane would have been the Secretary of Consumer Protection….You can’t credit Crane for Denn’s record and then absolve Crane of Karen’s record, which he played a much larger role in. I can understand criticism of the Stewart-Reed-Crane consumer record, but it’s crazy to support Crane on the basis of disapproving of a record he was an instrumental part of…
Speaking of Denn, Crane cleverly makes it sound as if Denn is supporting him…I don’t see Denn on Crane’s long list of endorsements…
Vincent White is the default choice for those upset with the Stewart-Reed-Crane consumer protection record. It is illogical to vote for Crane because of Karen’s consumer protection record. That would be like voting for Timothy Geithner to express anger at Obama’s economic record. Maybe some state legislator will see the weak field and enter the race…but right now you have three primary choices: the controversial incumbent, a hypocrite and an unknown who at least offers hope of being different…
Gender is an unfortunate part of politics. Eight of nine statewide officeholders are men as are the heads of both chambers of the state legislature. Coincidence?
I am not “cheering” Vincent White. I am pointing out the obvious: you can’t logically reject Karen’s record and then support Crane, her consumer protection point person.
Who is paying for Crane to run? He has no prior electoral history in Delaware…The “progressive candidate” is supported by establishment figures–the state party practically endorsed him at the J-J and formally will next summer…(Why do you think his campaign is hyping endorsements so much…) Karen is a wild card and the party wants a pliable IC, hence the consummate party insider Crane coming out the blue in his mid-60’s to run statewide…
Crane is not credible. When he had a chance to “fight for the consumer” he, according to his own criticism of the Stewart-Reed-Crane record, did not get the job done. This warrants promoting him to IC?
Denn did bring Crane to the IC’s office as a mid-level official. Karen, upon taking office, promoted Crane to the top consumer protection position. That is what is lost in all this…Crane was not a random cog in the IC machine…He was the top dog for consumer protection.
Crane’s official position was as a Legislative or Regulatory Specialist or similar. He was “Acting” Consumer Protection leadership under KWS. He left because there was little to no commitment by KWS to real Consumer Protection. A thing we can actually see by her current record. He also left because the other job he was doing — writing legislation to protect consumers — wasn’t a priority for KWS.
So, yes, you can logically support Crane while rejecting KWS’s record. Because if KWS was committed to consumer protection or to a legislative agenda that advanced consumer protections Crane might still be there. When you have a resume like Crane’s you don’t exactly need to hang on to jobs that double cross your principles — you hand in your walking papers and move on to the next thing.
In this case, the next thing ought to be the ICs office. Because Crane will treat that office as the opportunity to protect the public that it is. That office needs to get back to the operating principles of the Denn era and that won’t happen with KWS doing pretty much what insurance companies tell her to do.
“When you have a resume like Crane’s you don’t exactly need to hang on to jobs that double cross your principles — you hand in your walking papers and move on to the next thing.”
Precisely…See, Geezer, straight from a Crane supporter…Yet despite the alleged malfeasance in the IC’s office Crane remained there–in utter silence–for two years as the top consumer protection official… He only left months before he began running for IC…It isn’t as if he could leave and start running in 2 weeks. He needed an interval of a couple of months. How does he expect to be viewed as credible after spending two years as the point person for Karen on consumer protection? I guess he is hoping the media and voters will not scrutinize him and the party will carry him to victory…
“Because Crane will treat that office as the opportunity to protect the public that it is. That office needs to get back to the operating principles of the Denn era and that won’t happen with KWS doing pretty much what insurance companies tell her to do.”
That is a nice campaign promise but actions speaker louder than words…How do you know what Crane will do in the future? What did Crane DO to “protect the consumer” as the top consumer protection official under KWS for TWO YEARS? The “consumer crusader” could not even blow the whistle on Karen for a whopping two years…He could not open his mouth yet he is going to be this progressive savior, taking on the insurance lobby and the legislature as IC?
Crane prosecuting the case against Karen is a joke…he was a co-conspirator in her alleged crimes. Fact…Crane has wonderful rhetoric but he has a limited public record–and much of that is the Stewart-Crane consumer protection record that he is running from…
If you disapprove of Karen’s consumer record the only credible choice you have in the primary is Vincent White, unless a fourth candidate jumps in…There is no rational reason to believe Crane’s rhetoric. He is about as credible as Mitt or Newt…Even Mitt at least is sort of standing by Romneycare. Crane wants to repudiate his entire record as the consumer protection director under KWS…How does he expect to get away with this?
P.S. Crane was hired as a merit employee by Denn like numerous other people. He was not recruited by Denn and Denn, despite the Crane campaign’s clever implications, has not endorsed Crane…That says something…I bet Denn is voting White…
So when do you announce? And come out from behind your anon here?
Because like the current crop of Republicans, you always underestimate the people you are speaking to. “Acting” Director means something. It means that your management hasn’t decided on who the permanent leadership of that division should be. The authority and the span of control of the person in an “Acting” position is never the same as the person who is given the position on a permanent basis.
But this doesn’t matter nearly as much as KWS record which continues to be utterly lacking. Which isn’t much of a surprise to a number of us here. The fact that she couldn’t keep quality talent like Crane around while making sure her friends got a river of taxpayer money (for very little return) is probably the signature narrative of her tenure. And as for what candidates might do in the future? That is what campaigns are for — to let the rest of us decide who we think will best represent our interests. And what you should do is to go see Crane at a campaign event. He isn’t repudiating anything other than the record of KWS.
So you can stop your stealth campaigning here, because when you do come out from behind this anon, you’ll be in for the full DL treatment. And you only have to look at how we assess the activities of Multiple Choice Mitt and Newtie to see what is in store for ya.
TTFN!
Way to go Cassandra!
“Vincent White is the default choice for those upset with the Stewart-Reed-Crane consumer protection record.”
For you, maybe. But I’m not voting based on anyone’s “consumer protection record.” As I said, Denn did a good job, Crane is Denn’s guy, I’ll go with Crane. My chief complaint about KWS is that she’s, um, not very bright.
“It is illogical to vote for Crane because of Karen’s consumer protection record. That would be like voting for Timothy Geithner to express anger at Obama’s economic record.”
See, this is where your shabby logic falls apart. Neither you nor I know what the relationship between KWS and Crane was like. I don’t know what he was doing behind the scenes, nor do you. This is akin to the Republican line against John Carney — that he was somehow tied into the corruption of the Minner administration, when the truth is that he wasn’t in Minner’s inner circle, or even her outer one.
You have said not one word in support of Vincent White, but his experience as I understand it was in representing his business colleagues — basically a lobbyist. Sorry, not interested. Especialy disinterested when someone logs on as “anon,” thereby not letting us know which dog you have in the fight.
” “Acting” Director means something. It means that your management hasn’t decided on who the permanent leadership of that division should be.”
The mighty consumer champion’s advocates are resorting to semantics? He was “acting” Director for two years. Get real…
“The fact that she couldn’t keep quality talent like Crane around”
High five! Now this is good stuff! Crane was complicit in Karen’s record for two years, leaves because he plans to run for IC and this profile of cowardice is being spun in FAVOR of him. I have no doubt about Crane’s talent; I doubt his credibility…
Crane is not repudiating anything other than Karen’s record–a record he was instrumental in compiling! Mitch would be a lot more credible if he spoke out when he saw alleged malfeasance in the IC’s office but he was perfectly fine with it for two years…
“Crane is Denn’s guy”
This kind of stuff is why I am opposed to Crane…He has punked many people….Fortunately there is plenty of time before the primary…He is “Denn’s guy”? Denn hired many people over four years. Crane was a merit employee, not a hotshot recruit. Crane was a mid-level employee, not Denn’s chief of staff…or consumer protection director…Crane has an amusingly long list of endorsements on his website. Notice Denn is missing? Denn saw Crane in action, ran against Karen and he has not endorsed in this race. If Crane is Denn’s guy, will restore Denn’s policies where is Denn among the growing list of Crane endorsers? If anything it suggests Denn does not support Crane. If a person is running on your record against a former rival and worked for you supporting that person makes a lot of sense…Yet Denn is silent….Maybe Denn will chime in later but until he does we should not foolishly fall into the Crane campaign’s “Mitch=Denn II” narrative…
You aren’t voting based on consumer protection? Fine, but the Crane and White campaigns are premised on criticism of Karen’s consumer protection record.
“Neither you nor I know what the relationship between KWS and Crane was like. I don’t know what he was doing behind the scenes, nor do you.”
This is why we have campaigns. This is why we need to ask hard questions instead of falling into formation behind the establishment’s designated candidate…Crane has not spoken about his role as the consumer protection director for two years under Karen, other than referencing two bills he wrote. He has not answered why he was silent if things were so incompetent and corrupt in the IC’s office. If he has credible answers to these fundamental questions he will be a lock to win…
My dog? I hope a fourth candidate enters the race but failing that I am going to vote for the unknown White. Karen’s record is not strong and Crane is not credible and I am never comfortable with who the establishment is promoting…Crane does have a few progressive supporters but no one comes out the blue in their mid-60’s to run statewide as the establishment choice unless the powers that be know that person will play ball…
How about asking about the identities and dogs of Crane supporters here? Why the fascination with me?
Geezer only you are attacking Vincent White. The Crane “supporters” here act as if he does not exist and focus their attacks on me, JusSomeGuy, and Karen…
“So you can stop your stealth campaigning here, because when you do come out from behind this anon, you’ll be in for the full DL treatment. And you only have to look at how we assess the activities of Multiple Choice Mitt and Newtie to see what is in store for ya.”
Do Crane supporters really want to go down the road of making threats to silence a critic…In store for me? How about worrying about what is in store for your candidate? Don’t be naive…Crane has come out aggressively against Karen yet Karen’s team is confidently quiet…
“Crane has come out aggressively against Karen yet Karen’s team is confidently quiet…”
I chalked that up to Vincent White being their diversion. Seriously, if both stay in the primary she will win.
You are trying to argue both ways on Crane, though. Is he the establishment Democratic candidate or not? If Denn is not endorsing him — and there’s no reason for him to have done so yet, so it means nothing IMHO — then he’s not the establishment candidate.
So make up your mind. Hoping for a fourth candidate is the same as hoping KWS wins. I still don’t know where you stand or why, and you’re not clearing things up. All I know is you have a bug up your butt about Crane, and haven’t given me much of a reason why.
The reasons you have cited ring as hollow as Tony DeLuca’s ethical core. I’ve been in way more than enough employment situations to know that people are entirely capable of carrying out a policy they disagree with. It happens every single day, all over the world. All the hand-flapping you’re doing over it isn’t going to convince me otherwise.
Cite specific reasons Crane should not be trusted, or else acknowledge you don’t actually know what you’re talking about.
White, by the way, is not unknown. He was a lobbyist for the real estate industry. That’s what I call untrustworthy. He’s a small businessman — another red flag that he’s in this for the industry, not consumers.
In fact, your reasoning points to the obvious fact that Vincent White should drop out of the race, or else low-information voters like you will accept a pig in a poke.
“How about asking about the identities and dogs of Crane supporters here? Why the fascination with me?”
Because I know who all the other people are, and am therefore capable of assessing the basis for their opinions.
You, on the other hand, don’t even have a recognizable screen name, meaning you don’t normally comment on Delaware blogs, yet you have come here with an agenda of slagging Crane. So yeah, I have strong suspicions that you’re no more to be trusted than any of the politicians we’re discussing.
My own guess is that the “support” for White is actually just a screen for supporting KWS, because I believe he’s in the race only to siphon off primary support from Crane. And I notice you’ve said nothing that’s actually critical of KWS, except that if we blame her for something that’s actually Crane we’re criticizing.
Really, sporto, we’re not idiots. All you’re doing with this is stiffening my resolve to make sure nobody with working eardrums votes for Vincent White.
And if I fail, there’s still the Republican. Your girl is going down. Oh, wait…
Hey anon, is the state Republican party paying you to post here by the word? Good luck with that.
That’s sorta close, Paul.
My dog? I hope a fourth candidate enters the race but failing that I am going to vote for the unknown White.
Thanks for confirming who you are. This fool is just here practicing his shtick. Crane has been actively campaigning so there are a few of us here who have directly heard him discuss how the Consumer Protection group simply was not a priority for KWS. If this fool had done the work to hear Crane (and you should, really, before you just go out with your fairly clueless disinformation campaign) he wouldn’t be setting himself up to be a laughingstock. Like much of the rest of his party.
“Crane has been actively campaigning so there are a few of us here who have directly heard him discuss how the Consumer Protection group simply was not a priority for KWS.”
That is a very lame excuse that won’t cut it with many voters…For two years he–the division head–was silent and he has no role in what happened? It was all Karen’s neglect, which Crane did not say a word about? Yet he is going to “fight for the consumer” if he gets a promotion? Think about how ridiculous that sounds…Imagine if Tim Geithner ran against Obama and said “Obama simply did not prioritize economic development.” to justify his attacks on Obama’s economic policies. That is essentially what Crane is attempting to sell…
“When considering alternatives people need to look past what they say they will do and look at what they have actually done!”-Mitch Crane himself!
I am sure Vincent White is part of Karen’s confidence…Crane worked for Karen. There likely is internal information she can unload next summer…On paper Crane should be the favorite yet his campaign is on the attack while Karen is sitting back quietly…
To say Crane is “Denn’s guy”–something the Crane campaign is trying to imply is blatantly false. Denn has not weighed in on the race at this point. I am not arguing it both ways. Being the establishment candidate does not require 100% establishment support, especially 10 months before the election…The party practically endorsed Crane at the J-J and formally will next summer…The two previous New Castle Democratic chairs and the current Kent chair and vice chair have already come out in favor of Crane, as has the 2010 Democratic candidate for auditor…A handful of legislators, ranging from a progressive like Karen Peterson to John Atkins have endorsed Crane. Even two sheriffs have endorsed in the IC’s race! Who does Karen have? The state party loathes primary contests yet where are they to protect the lone female statewide official?
Crane may have valid reasons for implementing a consumer protection agenda for two years he now conveniently denounces…but he should share them. Thus far he has gotten a pass…People have accepted his claims, even things like the faux Denn endorsement, at face value…
A lobbyist, a consummate party insider, and Karen. Slim pickings…can we draft a legislator?
White is not going to win the DL vote. Crane has successfully presented himself as a progressive. The guy even implies, cleverly through his campaign manager on his website, that he supports single-payer HC… Crane has a lock on the progressive, establishment, and GLBT votes.
What White does, and why Crane supporters wish he goes away, is provide an alternative choice to those displeased with Karen among the general population. The fact White is running on the same “protect the consumer” message further blurs things. White’s criticisms of Karen are more credible than Crane’s because he was not an integral part of Karen’s consumer record. (blaming it all on Karen–with no explanation for his role–won’t cut it) You may give Crane a pass for this but some voters will not…White may do very well as an underfunded candidate with no endorsements…
Karen won in a 43-39-18 race. History likely will repeat itself…
White is legitimate. Who would put up a fake candidate to prop up Karen? Where would Karen supporters get the money? She barely had money for herself in 2008…White is running for the same reason Crane is: they see a vulnerable incumbent and no “big name” entered the race so why not take a shot at it?
I have been accused of being Vincent White, a Republican operative, and a Karen supporter all in this thread. Then there are all the comments about JusSomeGuy! Funny s___!
The election will come down to two things: credibility and competence, not random online posters. It is a choice, not a referendum on Karen and there are three, not two candidates.
The election will come down to two things: credibility and competence, not random online posters.
This may be the only true thing you have said in this thread. And your credibility and competence certainly has not been apparent here, and I suspect won’t stand the light of day when that happens, either.
Being a friend of KWS, I have heard some of the internal things that have happened in the IC office so, for ethic’s sake, I will be staying out of this mosh pit.
But I will pass along something someone mentioned to me the other day: the Wilmington minority vote will be out in force for the primary because of the mayoral race. If White has support in the city, which is likely, he will probably swamp KWS and Crane there –no matter how well they campaign. It will make the outcome of this primary very hard to predict.
I have heard some things and there probably is more out there…those things are both personal and professional in nature… We will definitely hear them next summer…
White is he is running on the same message as Crane and he does not have the credibility problem Crane has. He could do surprisingly well, but winning would be hard because he won’t have the big bucks behind him like the establishment’s Crane and the incumbent Karen.
I’m just guessing on who you are. Your failure to clear it up is why you have no credibility. I’ve asked several times, and you refuse to answer, so clearly you have an agenda, and I seriously doubt it’s the agenda you claim to have.
In truth, it doesn’t much matter who wins if the BC/BS merger has already gone through by then. Getting at that giant pot of money has been the 25-year goal of everyone who has held that office except Matt Denn. Once it’s gone, they’re just fighting over peanuts.
Nancy: You’re assuming those voters will get that far down the ballot.