Comment Rescue: (Insert name here) of the Green Party for Lt. Gov

I'm a partisan Democrat, but this Geezer comments makes sense:
You Greens should look harder at the lieutenant-governorship as a platform. Sher Valenzuela showed that with a little money, energy and a simple message, a total unknown can campaign for the job independently of the major parties (she all but bolted the GOP by linking herself to Pires). A Green, especially one with a finance background, could sell him/herself as the most effective check on unchallenged power in a one-party state.

Tuesday Open Thread [12.18.12]

Why is this time different? Why are things going to change this time? Andrew Gelman at the Monkey Cage has a thought:
– The event itself is particularly horrifying: an elementary school instead of a high school, more kids getting killed, and the killer using three guns that were just lying around the house. – Cumulation: each new shooting is added on to what came before, eventually enough people become motivated to act. – Political timing: no national election for 23 months, now is the time for politicians to act without fear of the gun lobby. – Political alignment: the Republicans have had so much success getting gun voters to their side that Democrats now have nothing to lose politically by supporting gun restrictions. And, if the Democrats move to restrict guns, savvy Republicans can move toward the center on the issue, confident that their Democratic opposition won’t outflank them on the right. – The pendulum: to put that last point another way, gun policy has swung so far to the right in recent years that the force of public opinion will tend to pull it back to the center. This latest shooting has given politicians a chance to realize this and act on it.

The Inane CRI strikes again

In a series of analyses CRI has argued that the New Castle County (NCC) government is facing a serious fiscal crisis. This crisis was precipitated by Adam Sandler's performance in 'The Water Boy' released in 1998. Within just a few years after the release of 'The Water Boy' employment in NCC flat-lined and residential building permits nose dived....
Simple cause and effect right? Who could argue with those facts? Substitute "the UDC" for "The Water Boy" above and that is the level of thinking going on at that "think" tank. I mean, they are absolutely ripping off their benefactors.

The 2012 MVP Award-Winners Are…

10. LT. GOVERNOR MATT DENN: No one in Delaware fights harder for children. Few, if any, in Delaware, are as committed to quality public education for all. He's also on the list because he ran on what he considers to be his mission. I'm paraphrasing: "If you don't seek office in order to help improve people's lives, then what's the point?" He works at that every day. He's 'only' #10 because he's 'only' Lieutenant Governor. I, for one, hope to see that change in 2016. 9. SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCILPERSON JOAN DEAVER: One of the few sane voices in Sussex County at a time that Sussex County needs more sane voices, but seems to be in full-blown flight from sanity. Successfully winning reelection against one of these 'Agenda 21' Chicken Littles (the 'chicken' reference is deliberate) in a year when Sussex County voters have not yet come to grips with the problems facing them, and the UN is not among them, is a singular accomplishment for someone who is part of the solution in Sussex. 8. REP. EARL JAQUES: It's possible that he's more populist than progressive, but we need more like him in Dover. And we need both populists and progressives. After all, you can be both, and I think that Earl Jaques is. Sponsored single-payer health insurance, opposes the blatant Delmarva 'smart-meter' rip-off, seems immune to 'Delaware Way' incestuousness, votes the right way, and does his homework. He also sponsored and helped pass this bill, which I strongly support. The General Assembly is becoming more progressive, and I look forward to what Jaques can accomplish in such an environment. Come inside for the rest....

Carper Pressing Reid to drop the “talking filibuster” requirement

Harry Reid is planning to announce at a democratic caucus TODAY that he is going to drop the talking filibuster measure from the package of reforms the caucus will push in January because of push back from Nelson, Baucus, Carper and a few others. Nelson and Bachus because they need to fund-raise and don't want to be stuck in DC for three days at a stretch. Carper...? who knows why he objects to the talking. Maybe because Nelson and Baucus did? It's a theory. Anyway, a call to Carper's office today asking him to keep the requirement for the talking filibuster in the reform package might do some good. Carper: 202 224-2441

2012 MVP Awards Announced Today At…

10 am. Simultaneously here at DL and on the Al Mascitti Show, WDEL Newsradio 1150 AM on your radio dial. Don't wait to see/hear it from others, be the first to know. BTW, time permitting, we'll also talk Port Of Wilmington, and remind Pete Schwartzkopf that he isn't the Speaker of the House just yet.

Mayor Bloomberg Wants the Violence to Stop

NYC's Mayor Bloomberg is mad as hell and he wants Congress and the President to work to stop the gun carnage. He's been at this for awhile, even creating a SuperPAC this past election that (I think) had a more winning track record than the NRA's SuperPAC did. He took to the airwaves today with a room full of victims of gun violence to call for very specific actions from Congress and the President. It is worth every minute to watch this (approx. 6 minutes):

We are coming for your guns.

And you can do nothing to stop us. For if you do, you will be rightly and justly characterized as the defenders of the murder of children. You will accept common sense regulations, limitations and restrictions on your oh so precious right to bear arms. And you will do so without complaint, just as you have been mostly silent over the last few days. And we all know you have been silent because you have nothing to say. You can't defend this. You cannot defend yourselves. Really, your silence is an admission of guilt. You, and we, saw this coming. Really, you had to know, eventually, our most vulnerable would fall prey. It was only a matter of time. And now that time is here. Take a cue from a fellow NRA 100% approved Conservative Republican, and follow his lead.