Delaware’s Unafraid
While all of the 13 Senators who voted for the Background Check Bill (HB 35) are unafraid in my book and deserve credit for their vote today, I want to give special recognition to three who took politically risky votes for different reasons. Without these three votes, the bill would have failed 11-10.
With respect to Cathy Cloutier, you can say it would have been more politically risky to her future in politics if she had voted no, given the Democratic demographics of her update Brandywine Hundred-Claymont district. Still, she bucked her far right Republican Party and voted yes.
Senator Brian Bushweller represents Kent County and specifically Dover and the Camden-Wyoming area, which, while not as conservative as Sussex, still leans right on gun issues. Hell, look how far right Representative Trey Paradee is in the House because he is so afraid of his conservative district, which covers much of the same area. Thank you Senator Bushweller.
Finally, Senator Ernie Lopez. A Republican in teabag headquarters. Senator Lopez has been under constant negative pressure from the tea party downstate to vote no. Christian Hudson, who owns Hudson Management and who posted that infamous “Socialism is at the gates” sign that Jason posed under after President Obama’s election in 2008, has been posting anti-Ernie Lopez screeds on the same sign all month, especially after his Death Penalty repeal vote. Here is a representative sign:
Here is what Senator Lopez said in announcing his vote of yes today:
State Senator Ernie Lopez, who’s also a member of the NRA, says he will be vote for the measure because it’s both reasonable and responsible.
In a statement, Lopez says the bill doesn’t prevent law abiding citizens from getting a gun and it doesn’t violate anyone’s Second Amendment rights.
A heartfelt thank you to Senator Lopez for voting with his brain and his heart rather than according to the tea party dogma. And thank you for not being afraid of the NRA.
Eastern sussex is a FAR FAR cry from tea bag HQ
THAT would be the area west of rt 5
Our Washington Rivera has many retired federal, state and county civil servants and educated upper income folks
To ever be considered TEABAG HQ
that would be Atkins territory, which accounts for the ridiculousness on his FB Page. And his voting record.
And also Sam Wilson country –
But don’t label all of sussex as bad- there are a good many down there fighting the good fight against the tea bagging , sheriff supporting, unwashed and ignorant clowns- that have neither education nor class. And moved here from shitholes and now want to make Sussex their new shithole.
That is true, but the more liberal living in the Washington Rivera are voting Democratic and not in the Republican primary. Lopez has to worry about a future primary with Urquhart or some other teabag. And those Republican primary voters are most assuredly not pleased today.
A lot of dems voted for him, they crossed the aisle , they are rather conservative dems to be sure
But see Lopez and someone who is a centrist and willing to work with the other side.
I think what hurt Andy Staton was the perception he was a Markell/ Pete S rubber stamp and people naturally want balance.
Lopez has a lot of attraction for a lot of people and he will keep the crazies at bay.
In the general, they voted for him. I am talking about the primary, where Dems would have to register as Republicans to vote for him. And very few did that last time and would do it again in the future.
I agree that these were generally brave votes, and I salute all three senators, especially Cathy Cloutier who, I hope, is transforming into a more decisive legislator.
Those who opposed the bill are not necessarily cowards,they are simply knee-jerk in the way they vote.
Among them, Greg Lavelle is first among equals. Maybe he had to give his pigeon-maiming boss his props, but I hope that the voters in the 4th SD will hold him accountable in 2014.
Wonder how many Dems will register as republicans just in case the sussex GOP runs him, which is very unlikely
Looks like his supporters have fled to IPoD
Looks like the sheriff has flushed his political career down the toilet
And Ernie Lopez has made his future brighter
That is the sharp contrast in those too- of course tue crazies think Ernie was a NCC plant sent to upset
The Tea Baggers
When they showed up and asked for his birth cert- well that said it all for me
I already communicated with Ernie today to express how I felt about his vote, which was also a vote for responsible governance. If he continues in what I consider to be a mature and responsible manner I won’t have any difficulty registering as a Republican to support him in whatever way I can.
Responsible conservatives have much to contribute, you just have to find one. They aren’t extinct and do exist in the wild. Ernie seems to be one of them. For now though they remain on the endangered species list – at least in Sussex County.
But more importantly, Christian Hudson should be foaming at the mouth about now. Can’t wait to see the new sign!
Lets wait and see just how reasonable Lopez is when it comes to the Marriage Bill.
“Responsible conservative” is a contradiction in terms.
A source tells me that Lopez will not vote for marriage equality, so there is the bone he is throwing to the rabid right.
He is a conservative so there is always going to be something that he votes differently from what you would like. If all his votes met your approval, he would be a (D). I look at it in a less absolute manner. In fact, many of the folks here consider Carper to be an (R) in disguise. I suppose it depends where one lives on the political spectrum.
Re: Marriage equality. I still think that the government ought not even be in the marriage business. Let it govern contractual relationships (civil unions) between ANY two people (same sex, opposite sex, and even no sex) and leave marriage to religions. But I guess that’s bit too progressive for society at this point.
In reality- he doesn’t need too.
He knows it’s going to pass regardless of how he votes- thank goodness….
And voting against it allows him to keep his conservative creds
It’s smart politics
And gay marriage never killed anyone – it’s not a public safety issue,
And we can’t expect him to act like a progressive because he is not a progressive.
He is however obviously at least a responsible politician and father.
@ Dave…. I also sent him a well done. 😉
Dave..
I agree with you on Marriage. The government never had any business being involved in the marriage business. I have long said that the ideal solution would be to have the government issue only civil union licenses to any two consenting non-related adults no matter their sex or sexual orientation. So if you are a man and a woman, you don’t get a marriage license, you get a civil union license. And if you are a man and a man or a woman and a woman, you get the same. And if you want to be married in a religious ceremony, then find a church that will do it. But since we cannot rewrite the centuries of history entangling government and marriage, then the next best available option is making marriage available to all.
Aoine and Dave,
Yes, Lopez is no progressive and I cannot expect him to vote for everything I want, but from my point of view, to be against marriage equality at this point really is an extremist, bigoted and regressive position, especially when the bill protects churches and religions from being forced by the government to perform gay marriages they object to. To me, if you are against marriage equality, you are saying there are second class citizens and I have the right to discriminate against them, which is not ever reasonable nor responsible.
Sorry, Del Dem, but marriage is a legal contract that is very much the gummint’s bidness. I really don’t care if it’s a same sex or “traditional” marriage–that shit needs to be regulated. Married people get DIVORCED.
The marriage contract plays a big part in “who gets what” when a marriage ends, and the government is, to quote our 43rd President, “the decider” in who gets what as far as children, alimony, debt, cash & property go.
Roland, you misunderstand. Yes, the legal contract is the government’s business and has to be sanctioned by the government in order to establish all the legal benefits and obligations. But the government never should have called the license it grants a “marriage license” and it never should have had government officials like Justices of the Peace and County Clerks perform marriage ceremonies. What they should have done instead is issue Civil Union licenses.
I also agree with Dave on marriage- in so far as it is a contract for inheritance reasons
Sure- civil union for everyone but marriages should only be done in churches
I also could care less what folks do in their bedroom- but it is a basic right and should be extended to everyone- after all they have the right to be miserable too……
On a lighter note- watch WBOC online and the brain trusts on the news that say they thought the sheriff had arrest powers
I think they were sharing one tooth or just the full set every other Saturday ….and used the soap once a month- WBIC had to go all the way to DELMAR to find those folks
Wonder if they interviewed the folks on the MD side of the street as opposed to the DE side of the street
Supposedly this summer the DE Supreme Court will hear it- can’t wait to see what Justive Holland has to say about it- he DID write the book on the DE constitution.
DD-
I agree. I’m just not sure those who wrote the laws 200+ years ago could wrap their heads around same sex marriage, unions, whatever you want to call them.
I have no problem w/ same sex couples. Many of my customers are gay or lesbian. I even have one transgendered customer. All of the above are great people & should enjoy their full rights as Americans.
Don Ayotte attempts to take Lopez to task on his voting record, and as usual it’s a FAIL:
I remember campaigning in the same territory as you Senator Lopez in the 2012 general election. Lopez running for the State Senate Seat and I was running for the County Council Seat. I remember considering Ernie a very good friend (and still do) and thought, “if this guy gets in the senate, we’ve got a good man in there.
After his votes on SB 19 and HB 35, I’m not sure that I made the right decision in endorsing him for the senate position. Ernie, we elected you because you said you were a conservative republican, but your recent actions in the general assembly absolutely prove that this is not the case.
Senator Lopez, you were the deciding vote in the Senate Bill 35 to repeal Delaware’s death penalty law and you voted yes on SB 19, to further infringe on our Second Amendment rights to bear arms. Did you forget who elected you senator. If you did, please RESIGN your seat, that we might elect someone who will represent the constituency who elected them.
The Legislation numbers are wrong, (he’s corrected them since), and is he really telling Lopez who the people in the District are, a District Lopez won and Ayotte lost? LMAO I wonder who knows the District better?
Ayotte endorsing Lopez is news to me. Can anyone find that endorsement?
Anon, were you the one who just pointed out on DP how the IPoD “announcement” post is open to comments, but Don shut down comments on his post about his party switch, telling Steve N. that he closed it down because “announcement” posts do not allow comments?
If so, well done! I’m running out of popcorn.
Ernie Lopez’s commentary in the Cape Gazette: http://capegazette.villagesoup.com/p/background-checks-for-guns-reasonable-responsible/989793
He said in part:
“Since being sworn into office and taking an oath “always to place the public interests above any special or personal interest,” it has become clear to me that as a means to improve the safety of the public and to protect the seller of a firearm from liability, a background check is not only reasonable but responsible.”
He and I may not agree on everything but if anyone had a hope that there are responsible adults in the Republican Party in Delaware, Ernie may prove to be just that. This is especially true when certain elements are calling for his resignation because of his vote.
Those same elements are claiming that any REAL Christian who actually read the bible wouldn’t support the death penalty repeal. I wonder if Pope Benedict got that memo?
I go past Hudson’s sign several times a week, it went from “note to politicians” to “note to Republicans’ and finally mentioned Lopez. I give it the finger and have massive contempt for the mentality behind it. Sussex, inbred, ignorant and all will change.