Archive for April, 2013
HB 35 Background Check Debate [UPDATE]: Bill Passes 13-8!!!
For the last hour, the background check bill debate has been underway in the Delaware Senate. Thanks to Twitter user Amy Cherry, here is her tweet reports about the debate, which I will update below in the comments as she posts them:
Thursday Open Thread [4.18.13]
45 Pathetic Cowards. Let’s see if any Delaware Democrats or Republicans in the Delaware Senate join them.
1. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
2. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)
3. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY)
4. Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT)
5. Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK)
6. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO)
7. Sen. John Boozman (R-AR)
8. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC)
9. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
10. Sen. Dan Coats (R-IN)
11. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK)
12. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS)
13. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN)
14. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)
15. Sen. Michael Crapo (R-ID)
16. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)
17. Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY)
18. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE)
19. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
20. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
21. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA)
22. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
23. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
24. Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV)
25. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND)
26. Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK)
27. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
28. Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE)
29. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI)
30. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)
31. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
32. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS)
33. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
34. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)
35. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH)
36. Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR)
37. Sen. James Risch (R-ID)
38. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS)
39. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)
40. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC)
41. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
42. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL)
43. Sen. John Thune (R-SD)
44. Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)
45. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS)
We Lost in Washington Yesterday. We Can Win in Delaware Today.
We had a defeat in Washington yesterday, but we can still win in Delaware. The background checks bill (HB 35) is scheduled for a vote today in the Senate, and I’m told by well placed sources that some wavering Senators could really benefit from a final call or email this morning. And if you are in Dover or can make it to Dover today, get to the Senator chamber for the vote to show support.
So join me and call or email the following this morning:
Senator Bethaney Hall Long, bethany.hall-long@state.de.us, (302) 744-4286
Senator Bruce Ennis, bruce.ennis@state.de.us, (302) 744-4310
Senator Nicole Poore, Nicole.Poore@state.de.us, (302) 744-4164
Senator Cathy Cloutier, catherine.cloutier@state.de.us, (302) 744-4197
Senator Brian Bushweller, brian.bushweller@state.de.us, (302) 744-4162
Senator David McBride, David.McBride@state.de.us, (302) 744-4167
Here We Go Again… Pencader Charter School
I detest hostage situations, especially when the hostages are children. Pencader Business and Finance Charter School is in financial trouble again. Shocking, I know. Seems they’ve run out of money and are threatening to close the school on April 30th.
The News Journal has the story:
In a letter addressed to parents, students and teachers last week, president Frank McIntosh said Pencader didn’t have enough money left to pay teachers’ salaries through the end of the year, putting it at risk of bankruptcy. He said the school needs $350,000 to pay its debts and enable its students graduate.
McIntosh said transferring students back to their feeders schools so late in the year would be a mess. Traditional public schools, especially those in the Christina and Colonial school districts, would have to accommodate hundreds of students on short notice with little additional resources, he said.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., April 18, 2013
For all intents and purposes, it’s a one-bill day in Dover. This bill. Can Dover legislators do what Washington legislators could or would not do? HB 35 would require criminal background checks for virtually all gun purchases in Delaware. The NRA, embodied and emboldened by its pigeon-killing mouthpiece, have whittled away at the bill, and still oppose it.
Not a single R senator is on the bill as a sponsor. Which raises the question. Will they stand with the overwhelming majority of the people of Delaware, or will they march in lockstep with the leader that they have chosen to lead the Delaware Rethuglican Party?
![Thursday Daily Delawhere [4.18.13]](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8532/8649279837_1bb674e826_z.jpg "Thursday Daily Delawhere [4.18.13]")
President Obama is Angry About the Gun Bill
President Obama spoke some hours back on the failure of the gun bill to pass the Senate. He’s clearly angry and he’s quite right that this is a shameful moment for a Government that is supposed to represent us. If you haven’t seen his remarks, this is the video from TPM (they seem edited, to me):
Exclusive Video: John Sigler Flees Questioner Regarding His Pigeon-Maiming
The Brave Man did this after rousing the faithful today at a Legislative Hall anti-gun control rally:
Wednesday Open Thread [4.17.13]
Unusual Hillary Speculation — Could Hillary Clinton Be America’s Thatcher? This is from Margaret Carlson and this piece is something of a mess — largely faulting Hillary for being married to Bill Clinton. Both Hillary and Bill have more than their fair share of issues, but Hillary does have accomplishments, not the least of which is making sure that she was pulling other women up the ladder with her and fighting for women’s issues around the world. Thatcher cared not one whit about other women or the rights or well-being of anyone else, for that matter.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., April 17, 2013
A mixed bag on voting rights and, for that matter, bipartisanship during yesterday’s session
Republicans stonewalled ‘No-Excuses’ Absentee Voting. Not a single R voted for HB 20(Jaques), and the bill failed to reach its 2/3 majority requirement by one vote. According to a press release from the House Democrats:
“Several House Republicans have expressed support for the bill. So why won’t they vote for it?” asked Rep. Longhurst, D-Bear. “It’s clear House Republican leadership is playing politics with this bill and withholding votes. Voting is not a partisan issue. Delawareans deserve fair access to voting. Republicans need to either help pass this important bill or explain their uniform opposition to the public.
That seems only fair. What do Rethugs want? Paging Dr. Freud. I mean, besides economic disaster that they can then blame on the D’s? And crippled pigeons to maim (they already have those)? If they’re looking for respect or relevance, sorry, I can’t be of help there.
Logic and comity prevailed across the building in the Senate, as HB 10(Keeley), which would restore voting rights to convicted felons who have paid in full their debt to society, passed by a 15-6 vote. R senators Cathy Cloutier and Greg Lavelle voted for the bill (thank you!) while self-proclaimed ‘moderate’ Ernesto Lopez voted no. Hmmm, sure looks like somebody sold a lot of somebodies a bill of goods. Here’s the roll call. Since this is the second leg of a constitutional amendment, HB 10 will soon be law.
![Wednesday Daily Delawhere [4.17.13]](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8383/8650381914_4504334c61_z.jpg "Wednesday Daily Delawhere [4.17.13]")
Boston Marathon Bombing
Does it really take a horrific bombing that claimed the lives of three people, including an eight-year-old boy, for our politicians to set aside petty difference and work together?
This man has given more to this country than most of us.
From the Huffington Post:
One of the most-photographed heroes of the Boston Marathon has been Carlos Arredondo, 52, who most famously pictured helping a man in a wheelchair who has lost part of his leg in the explosion. In other videos and images, he’s seen running toward the blast and pulling away debris to help those who were hurt.
But as Christina Costantini points out for Univision, Arredondo — the father of a Marine who lost his life in Iraq in 2004 — originally came to the United States as an undocumented immigrant.
According to a 2005 story in the Washington Post, Arredondo was born in Costa Rica and came to the United States without authorization when he was 19. In 2004, his son, Alex, died while serving in the Iraq War.
He gave America his son. Literally. He helped save many American lives yesterday. He is an American, by virtue and sacrifice if not legally. Perhaps our Congress, and one political party in particular, can see way to end their bigotry, obstruction, and demonization and see fit to make this man a documented citizen.
Look at this video, and how violently he is shaking and trembling…
God bless you Carlos.
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