A couple of positive, albeit likely temporary, victories yesterday.
The Senate defeated Rep. Longhurst’s ‘Fuck the Doomed’ bill yesterday. 9 Y, 10 N, 2 Hiding in the Restroom. My guess is that the votes are there. Especially once Delmarva breaks out its/their checkbooks. Perhaps in the rest room. Legislators have been known to stake out ‘wide stances’ on issues like this, and don’t object to manipulation. Joe Farley, Delmarva’s ‘Democratic’ lobbyist, will be working OT to earn his blood money today. BTW, is this really the kind of bill that a supposed member of the House Democratic Caucus leadership team should be sponsoring? Betcha it passes. Hope it doesn’t. Memo to Longhurst primary opponent James Burton: Make this a campaign issue. I’ll even toss off the ‘money’ sentence for you…”What sort of Democrat would sponsor the terminating of life-saving utilities to seriously-ill patients?” You’re welcome.
And, wonder of wonders, HB 333(Viola) doesn’t currently have enough votes to pass, according to the News-Journal. Not enough Democratic votes to pass. According to Tiny Tony DeLuca, it will by today:
Senate President Pro Tem Anthony DeLuca, D-Varlano, said “I think we had sufficient votes to pass the bill today.”
“We’ll have more votes tomorrow,” he said.
Of course it will, as the apparent holdup (literally) came from the harness racing ‘industry’, which wants, wait for it, mo’ money, mo’ money, mo’ money.
And it will have the support of Profiles In Courage nominee Sen. Patti Blevins. Pay attention to this heroic quote:
Blevins said she plans to vote for the bill but admitted to harboring a “tremendous amount of discomfort” about the human impact of expanding gambling.
“I have a concern about people losing their paychecks [playing online casino games] at their dining room table,” Blevins said, adding that she’s concerned about layoffs at Delaware casinos without the bill.
Whatever you say, Senator.
Here’s Tuesday’s Session Activity Report.
You will note that the Bond Bill was introduced. Should make some great reading for those so inclined. Which will likely not include 3/4 of the legislators.
Here’s a newly-introduced bill that can only be described as a sop to the construction trades. Which is why two R senators in electoral trouble have joined as sponsors. And why a primary-challenged D is the prime sponsor. Ain’t goin’ nowhere, and they know it.
Yet another bill creating yet more tax credits for businesses that relocate here and bring jobs with them passed unanimously in the Senate. It’s a priority of the Administration, so it won’t get lost in the shuffle. Unlike the minimum wage increase, which has been buried in Rep. Bryon Short’s Business Lapdog Committee since March 20 while the Administration looks on in approving fashion. Just so we have our priorities straight and everybody knows what they are. Ladies and gentlemen, your Democratic Party. At least prime sponsor Michael Katz gets some more Greenville bona fides in his run against Monsignor Greg Lavelle.
Hmmm, there’s sure been a lot of activity dealing with auctioneers lately. HB 271(Bennett) ‘clarifies’ the exemption for auctioneers selling real property not needing to be licensed by the Real Estate Commission. That’s clearly not good enough for Rep. Dave Wilson’s good friends in the House Rethug Caucus, who want a Licensing Board for Auctioneers (aka “keep the profession artificially closed”). 10 No votes, all R’s. One Not Voting-Wilson, due to the obvious conflict of interest.
More on those downstate Rethugs. They, along with, wait for it, John Atkins, cast the eight votes against SB 211(Blevins), which places tethering of dogs for 18 consecutive hours or more, and the tethering of very young dogs and nursing mother dogs, under the cruelty to animals’ statute.
Today’s House Agenda(s) has increased by one: House Agenda V. All I can say about HB 401(Lee) is “Here we go again.” Now we are designating EMT’s and volunteer firefighter among those deserving of added perks. This time, free surf fishing vehicle permits. This won’t be the last perk that the General Assembly bestows upon them, and this won’t be the last special class upon which perks are bestowed.
The Budget Bill is scheduled for a vote in the Senate today. The only suspense, if you can call it that, is whether terminal buffoon Colin Bonini votes against it. Either way, he’ll campaign on what he ‘brought home to the district’. Phony.
The aformentioned internet gaming bill will find enough votes to pass. Hey, it’s an administration priority. Unlike minimum wage.
Here’s what a joke the ‘special license plate’ program has become. Just check out this synopsis:
This Act removes a members only Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute, Inc. license plate and replaces it with a Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute, Inc. license plate available to all who wish to support Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute, Inc. activities – member and nonmember alike.
OK.
And, fittingly, at the bottom of today’s Senate agenda, we find yet another giveaway to the ‘telephone and telegraph’ industry, courtesy of John Viola, who I now officially christen Delaware’s Worst Legislator. No surprise that the other two prime sponsors are Senators DeLuca and McDowell.
You know what’s scary? We’re not even gonna be able to see what bills get snuck through later this week until after the legislative session is concluded, b/c the agendas will have been completed, and they’ll be working from so-called ‘must-lists’, aka lists of bills that legislators reallyreally want. As do many of the lobbyists who will piss in their respective ears until the final gavel is brought down.
So, I leave you with this musical plea:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FZU4JVOmro[/youtube]
Special bonus points to anyone who can tell us who wrote this song. It’s not who you’d expect, and we’re not talking some obscuro type. No cheating!