Monday Open Thread [6.10.13]

So I guess Vice President Biden is getting up appearances as the Democratic Plan B, as he is making the rounds at state party functions. He is headlining Virginia's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner on June 29. This is his third Jefferson-Jackson keynote of the year, after South Carolina on May 3 and Michigan on April 20. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said he would examine ways to block the National Security Agency's surveillance programs before the Supreme Court, according to The Hill.
"I'm going to be seeing if I can challenge this at the Supreme Court level. I'm going to be asking all the internet providers and all of the phone companies: Ask your customers to join me in a class action lawsuit. If we get 10 million Americans saying we don't want our phone records looked at then maybe someone will wake up and something will change in Washington."
Well, a couple of things. First, if Rand Paul really wants to challenge these programs, the first thing he should do is sponsor a bill in the Senate to repeal the Patriot Act in its entirety. He is a Senator and legislation is his wheelhouse. The foundation for the surveillance state is the Patriot Act. Get rid of the Patriot Act, and you deal a crippling blow to all of these programs.
Kavips asks… Should Cathy Cloutier become a Democrat?

Kavips asks… Should Cathy Cloutier become a Democrat?

He makes the point that she is the one who is in touch with her constituents, and her party is not, thus explaining all the votes that go against her party (universal background check, lost and stolen gun reporting, marriage equality, death penalty repeal). But that is not the reason for switching parties....
I was saddened to hear her Good Samaritan Bill (SB 116) was caught up in the maelstrom of Republican bills that must be shut out due to there just not being enough time to consider it. Had she been of the Democratic caucus, her bill could have been heard with majority of social legislation pieces that were vetted last month.
So if Kavips is right, if Cloutier wants to see her bills move, it would help being in the majority party. And given some recent divergences from the Republican Party on key votes, you think she might be so inclined to switch.

Sunday Open Thread [6.9.13]

Here is some polling goodness for our open thread today.... 2013 MASSACHUSETTS--U.S. SENATE--PPP: Rep. Ed Markey (D) 47, Gabriel Gomez (R) 39. MASSACHUSETTS--U.S. SENATE--University of Massachusetts: Markey 51, Gomez 40. 2014 PENNSYLVANIA--GOVERNOR--Quinnipiac: Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D) 45, Gov. Tom Corbett (R) 45; State Treasurer Rob McCord (D) 43, Corbett 35.
"Already unpopular with Pennsylvania women, Gov. Tom Corbett trails the leading female challenger, U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz, and State Treasurer Rob McCord," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Election Day is 17 months away, but Schwartz is in a strong position to become Pennsylvania's first female Governor."
More inside...

Saturday Open Thread [6.8.13]

Yesterday, President Obama strongly defended the NSA's Big Surveillance program:
Obama, who ran for president in 2008 on a platform of reversing some of the Bush administration’s encroachments on civil liberties, instead defended the programs. ”I came in with a healthy skepticism about these program,” Obama said, noting his administration has strengthened some program safeguards. “My assessment and my team’s assessment is that they help us prevent terrorist attacks.”
Friday Open Thread [6.7.13]

Friday Open Thread [6.7.13]

Did you know it is OK to shoot escorts who won't have sex with you in Texas? A Texas jury acquitted a man who shot an escort he contacted via Craig's List. She's dead, but:
During closing arguments Tuesday, Gilbert's defense team conceded the shooting did occur but said the intent wasn't to kill. Gilbert's actions were justified, they argued, because he was trying to retrieve stolen property: the $150 he paid Frago. It became theft when she refused to have sex with him or give the money back, they said.
Time to give Texas back to Mexico, I'm thinking.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., June 6, 2013

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., June 6, 2013

I knew, I just KNEW, that I was gonna like State Rep. Kim Williams. I had liked her votes, I had liked her positions during the campaign, and I loved her work on simplifying school choice for students and parents. But yesterday she demonstrated why she is an invaluable member of the Delaware General Assembly with this quote, courtesy of the News-Journal:
"Until recently, I was on the Red Clay School Board, and we were never informed of the specifics of this bill. I feel that we need to get more public input."
Or at least SOME public input.  The Markell Administration is pushing HB 165(Jaques) to the max. In fact, I think they tried to put one over even on the legislators who are sponsoring this bill. Rep. Earl Jaques made clear that this bill is not going to be rushed through:
"We have a bill in front of us, let's discuss this bill. The time for the public to get involved is now, while we're discussing this legislation."
Others on this blog have done a far better job of describing the issues raised by this bill than I ever could. What particularly galls me is that we don't even know officially where this bill came from. There was indeed a group created to review ways to improve charter schools. Hell, the list has been provided here. But, get this, even though Gov. Markell appointed the 24-member working group, he claims that this group had no real authority and, as such, public meetings were not required. So much for 'Governor Transparency'. That is one of the most disingenuous things I've heard out of this Administration, which is really saying something. Shades of the Port of Wilmington deal. But, I digress. HB 165 barely made it out of the House Education Committee, 7-6. It is far from ready for prime time. It is June 6. People are already on vacation, including teachers, students, and parents. There is no way that this bill should be worked by June 30. Let's just see what this Governor does...