Tony DeLuca has toppled one of his opponents, thus placing the State Senate in greater risk of flipping today than it was yesterday. Sen. George Howard Bunting’s announcement that he will not seek reelection in the 20th District virtually guarantees that Rethug Rep. Wally Hocker will win the seat in the fall. Now, maybe Bunting would have retired anyway. But DeLuca’s and Blevins’ redrawing of the district lines was designed to punish Bunting for his opposition to DeLuca. When your so-called party caucus leaders screw members of your party, they are not party leaders. And they are/were enabled by the craven followers who allowed DeLuca/Blevins to do this to one of their colleagues, a man who is in every way the better of DeLuca and Blevins.
Stop to think about it. By dint of his actions during redistricting, the ethically and morally corrupt DeLuca was in effect saying that he would rather be the Senate Minority Leader in a body without his pesky opponents than the President Pro-Tempore in a body including said opponents. In other words, he is unworthy of holding a party leadership position. While I don’t think that the R’s will take control of the chamber, the very fact that they are competitive despite daunting registration figures and voting patterns makes Tony DeLuca and his greedy sidekick Blevins guilty of political malpractice. And their craven supporters guilty of…cravenness.
Guess the pessimists were right when it comes to John Atkins. Day One and nothing but the sound of crickets emerged from the House Democratic Caucus. And nothing but black tire smoke coming out of the Legislative Hall chimney. Downright embarrassing. If I’m wrong that no action was taken, would someone please set me straight? I could find no public report nor caucus statement on the matter.
The House unanimously passed HB 245(Heffernan), which essentially eliminates the ‘R’ word from the Delaware Code. Those of who missed the Al Mascitti Show with yours truly missed a strong disagreement on this issue between us. I was all for the bill, and pointed out that, in many ways, children are ahead of adults now when it comes to respect for their peers who might have unique challenges. Al thought, and I’m paraphrasing here, and I’m not good at paraphrasing, that it was part of some Liberal Groupthink thingy. If you’re not listening from 10-12 every Tuesday morning, you’re missing some damned lively radio.
The House also passed HB 235(Bennett), which would give veterans a 50% discount on entrance fees to state parks and recreation areas. Needless to say, it passed unanimously. And will be on every brochure this fall. I know that this is an unpopular position, but, in this era of no draft, joining the military is a career choice. I honor and respect their service, but I wonder how many public perks veterans deserve as a reward.
Wednesday is committee day, and we’ve got some interesting bills on the schedule…including our second nominee for Worst Bill of the Year.
Never a body to rush into things, the Senate only has three committee meetings scheduled for today. A grand total of five bills to be considered, all of them House bills now receiving Senate consideration, and none of them all that controversial. In fact, the only one of the five bills to receive any no votes was HB 236(Keeley), which creates a new liquor license for the Queen and any future similar concert venues. Why three downstate trogs voted against, including the would-be new senator from the 20th District, is beyond me.
By contrast, the House committees will once again buzz with activity. Bills that intrigue me include:
HB 265 (Hudson): Requires insurance companies to make equal reimbursement for oral and intravenous anticancer medications. Based on New York State’s ‘oral parity law’. Bill has broad bipartisan support. In today’s House Economic Development/Banking/Insurance/Commerce Committee meeting.
HB 247 (Lavelle): The troglodytes’ attempt to turn back progress on renewable energy. Sponsored by most of the usual suspects. You know, the ones who actually read the propaganda from the Heartland Institute. In the House Energy Committee.
HB 249 (Brady): Here is our second strong contender for Worst Bill of the Year. Not bad as in the sense of being dangerous, like the first contender, which would exempt so-called ‘work product’ from the auditor’s office from public scrutiny, but bad as in special interest legislation that makes a mockery of existing law. The bill would ‘eliminate(s) the continuing education requirements for a real estate broker, associate broker, or salesperson who has continuously held that type of license in Delaware for 40 years or more.’ Now, correct me if I’m wrong here, but isn’t the purpose of continuing education to ensure that licensees remain current about what’s impacting their profession? Wouldn’t it be especially important for someone who has been practicing for 40 years to make sure that they are still in tune with changes to the profession? Why 40, and not some other number plucked out of thin air? And, of course, the key question: Just who is asking for this? My guess? Some wrinkled old person who lives in Gerald Brady’s & Harris McDowell’s districts (they’re the prime sponsors). Someone who, you know, just wants to ‘keep their hand in it’, but is not really practicing. Otherwise, why even introduce a bill like this? Sorry. Either you have continuing education or you don’t. I wouldn’t mind a debate on whether certain professions require CE or not. But, if it is deemed that CE is required to continue practicing a profession, then this bill makes no sense. In the Housing & Community Affairs Committee. Why this bill is not in the House Sunset Committee, I have no idea, b/c that’s where it belongs.
HB 251(Longhurst): Looks like a $100,000 tax break to whomever is running the Delaware City refinery at the present time.
Well, those are the bills that interest me. Check ’em all out & let me know what you think.
And please let me know if anyone sees wisps of white smoke escaping the Leg Hall chimney.