Archive for December, 2013
It’s Official! Brenda Mayrack Enters State Auditor Race
Here is the press release:
Brenda Mayrack, an attorney and small business owner, announced her candidacy today for Delaware State Auditor. […] Mayrack pledged to bring a renewed focus to protecting taxpayer dollars to the State Auditor’s office. “Delawareans’ hard earned tax dollars do not belong to the government. Taxpayers, whether they are individuals or businesses, deserve a State Auditor who will improve accountability, transparency, and innovation in our state government,” she said. “As State Auditor, I will look for new ways to use technology to ensure that our valuable tax dollars are spent properly and put to their best use.”
Mayrack, a Democrat, has extensive experience with audits as an attorney specializing in unclaimed property. As State Auditor, her immediate priorities include a comprehensive review of credit card use by state employees and increased protections for whistleblowers. She brings energy, experience, and a new vision for an office charged with ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent effectively.
The Weekly Addresses
President Obama, Governor Markell, the White House Tree Lighting Ceremony, and the West Wing Week.
President Obama Speaks on Income Inequality and Economic Mobility
This got lost in the other news this week, and once again we ask ourselves, “If the President of the United States gives a policy speech, will anyone listen?” This is a plenty solid statement of progressive principles and if no one labeled them progressive , I’d bet there is alot here most Americans would absolutely agree upon. Because middle and low income people ARE being thrown under the economic bus and have been since the Reagan presidency. The disconnect is, of course, Congress and not one of our Congressional delegation (that I can find, anyway) has chimed in to note that the President has a point and that they are working on (detailed) stuff to help ameliorate this. Getting rid of the thumb on the scale for most of their voters is a clear way to better prosperity all around, but I gather that Third Way cred is going to be more important than you OR your vote. Anyway, here is the President’s speech, about 48 minutes long.
![Saturday Daily Delawhere [12.7.13]](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2840/11183265244_d2fb679d93_z.jpg "Saturday Daily Delawhere [12.7.13]")
Friday Open Thread [12.6.13]
![Friday Open Thread [12.6.13]](http://delawareliberal.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/DL.Thumbnail.png "Friday Open Thread [12.6.13]")
Really, the Republicans are a sick people. I’m serious. They have a pathological condition. This obsession with socialism and Obamacare. They cannot talk about anything without linking that anything to it. During an appearance on Fox News Thursday night, former Sen. Rick Santorum discussed the death of Nelson Mandela, saying the former South African president fought “great injustice” just like Republicans who are battling Obamacare.
Delaware House of Representatives To Consider Minimum Wage in 2014?
Sure looks that way. Rep. Bryon Short, chair of the House Lapdog Committee (aka the House Economic Development/Banking/Insurance/Commerce) wrote in today’s News-Journal that he now supports legislation to increase Delaware’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.25 an hour:
I voted against releasing the legislation from committee at both hearings. In addition to my votes, I have stated I understood the role of minimum wage, supported minimum wage as sound public policy, and that I looked forward to the right time in our economic recovery to vote in support of the bill. I believe now is the right time to support and pass a minimum wage increase for Delaware workers.
![Friday Daily Delawhere [12.6.13]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3684/11183761513_53ec4d8f63_z.jpg "Friday Daily Delawhere [12.6.13]")
RIP, Madiba
You’ve all heard by now that Nelson Mandela died peacefully at his home this evening. His is among the most heroic political and personal stories I have ever heard, and am still informed by.
From the DelawareLiberal archives – or – why I hate John Carney’s bullshit
I’ve been looking at some old posts and found this gem from December 0f 2005.
Delaware GOP on Cloud 9
While the rest of the GOP world is moping around or angrily lashing out at 55% of Americans, the Delaware GOP thinks everything is SWEET! This is from an actual Delaware GOP email that they sent out today.
“Positive News you don’t normally hear from Iraq”
Thursday Open Thread [12.5.13]
![Thursday Open Thread [12.5.13]](http://delawareliberal.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/GA-240x180.png "Thursday Open Thread [12.5.13]")
Steve Newton over at Delaware Libertarian has an interesting point.
Over at Delaware Liberal, Cassandra has another post up about crime in Wilmington. Cassandra and I have our differences, but she continues to do excellent fact-based blogging about the nature of the problem, the potential solutions, and the general ineptitude/malaise of the current governmental apparatus to solve the problem.
As Cassandra knows and has blogged repeatedly, this ain’t rocket science. There are a lot of evidence-proven strategies (like full-scale community policing with a constitutionally careful stop and frisk approach) that could make a dent, a serious dent, in crime and violence in Wilmington. The problem is–in this one-party state–the Democrats don’t care enough about reducing what amounts to urban terrorism in Wilmington to do anything about it. Instead, last year, they supported a State budget that included millions to bail out casinos and tens of millions in corporate welfare rather than invest in either inner-city education or crime fighting.
Good points, Steve. If the Democrats make a huge investment in fighting crime in Wilmington, I am sure you will support it, even if it means raising taxes on the rich to pay for it.
Comment Rescue Question — How *Do* We Get Better Democrats Representing Us in Delaware?
This is from a comment made by Steve Newton last night in the John Carney thread, and it is a damn fine question. He lays out the state of the board pretty well and takes more time to ask something I’ve been asking here for awhile — if we’re a Blue State, how come we don’t have representation that represents that? Mostly the answer I get back is some testy version of needing more blogging or some such, but blogging is not voting or organizing really — the reach is much too limited.
Call to Support the WDEL Feed A Friend Drive Now!
Today’s the day! The WDEL Feed a Friend Campaign is officially on starting at 9AM. Remember that this event raises funds for the Newark Area Welfare Committee, the Sunday Breakfast Mission, the Emmanuel Dining Room, YWCA Delaware and the St. Paul’s Church Outreach Center — all great organizations working to feed our neighbors who might need a little help. For each $11.50 you can pledge, these groups can buy a case of food — a great deal for the money. We’re encouraging all of DL’s readers and commenters to call WDEL during Al Mascitti’s show from 9 til 12 to pledge what you can to this worthy cause. If you can, please help spread the word to your Facebook friends and ask them to call in too.
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