Festivus Open Thread [12.23.13]

Festivus Open Thread [12.23.13]

Governor Jack Markell is Kavip's Delawarean of the Year. He did some good things, like this:
He proposed and pushed through requiring background checks for all gun sales. He proposed and was able to get mandated reporting of lost or stolen firearms. He signed the Gay Marriage Bill. He signed transgender equality into law.
But he also did some inexplicable things, for a Democrat:
He tried to give away the Port of Wilmington to an oil company. He killed Minimum Wage in 2013. He rammed through SB51 which permanently weakens teacher education programs. He created an Illegal Star Chamber to draw up HB 165 charter school beneficial legislation, in secret without public input. He rammed through HG 165 which gives private for profit charter schools access to public school capital financing. He tried to lower taxes for the top 1%. And not for anyone else.

Saturday Open Thread [12.21.13]

As pointed out in the open thread last night, the Deputy State Treasurer has been denied her request to return to a Merit job following her medical leave and resignation from the Department of the Treasury. So we have an employee of the Treasury who resigned her office, but took a medical leave to deal with an unnamed situation, who is back in the office now (doing what?) and is now told by OMB that she will not be allowed to return to the merit system. And of course, Chip Flowers is still pointing fingers (at the OMB) and is now threatening them:
“I am very concerned that the OMB continues to publicly talk about personnel matters, which clearly violates the state’s privacy and confidentiality policies,” Flowers said. “While I recognize that Director Visalli and the staff of OMB, if the state gets sued, would not have to write a personal check, I think it’s egregious they’re willing to put taxpayers on the hook for a large lawsuit just to cover their you-know-whats in public.”
Wilmo News Journal TV ? It can’t suck worse than it does now

Wilmo News Journal TV ? It can’t suck worse than it does now

I'm not sure what this acquisition news means for NCC's news producers (Hi Chip!) and consumers, but Gannett sure was sitting on a pile of cash. Also, (since this is a blog post about media) let me take this opportunity to mention, yet again, that Sussex county has better TV media coverage than New Castle County.
Your liberal media

Your liberal media

Beck trashed Christie to Cupp on Piers Morgan's show. Let that sink in an try to get your head around it. I can't think of liberal names to substitute that would make any kind parallel universe sense. Michael Moore trashed Bennie Sanders to Markos Moulitsas who was filling in for Rachael Maddow (?) When that happens Hube and I will be brothers, because at long last - our mutual dream of a liberal media will be realized.
Thursday Open Thread [12.19.13]

Thursday Open Thread [12.19.13]

Once again, it seems our oh so Constitutional Conservatives need a lesson on what the First Amendment does and does not protect. For the idiots out there who like to claim they love the Constitution but have no understanding of what is in it since they are dumb as rocks, here is a quick refresher course: The First Amendment. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Quick quiz. Who is prohibited from taking action that abridges the freedom of speech? Is it is me, Delaware Dem? Is it a television network? Is it all private persons? Does the Amendment say that a citizen of the United States is allowed to say whatever he wants whenever he wants where ever he wants and then suffer absolutely no consequences for said speech? No. It only says that Congress, meaning thus the Federal Government (and State and local Governments through the application of the 14th Amendment), is prohibited from passing laws the punish free speech. Your private employer can punish you all he or it wants. Yes, you can be fired for expressing your opinions. And it is all perfectly constitutional.
Time for some year end polling….

Time for some year end polling….

First, we will tackle the subject of El Somnambulo's year end review over the next three days. The Good. The Bad. The Ridiculous. First up, the Ridiculous. Here is the schedule for the end of the year polling. Today--The Ridiculous. Tomorrow--The Good. Saturday--The Bad. Sunday through Wednesday--Approval Ratings--Governor Markell Thursday, 12-26-13--Approval Ratings--Lt. Governor Denn Friday, 12-27-13--Approval Ratings--Treasurer Chip Flowers Saturday, 12-28-13--Approval Ratings--Attorney General Biden Sunday, 12-29-13--Approval Ratings--Insurance Commissioner Stewart Monday, 12-30-13--Approval Ratings--Senator Carper Tuesday, 12-31-13--Approval Ratings--Senator Coons Wednesday, 1-1-14--Approval Ratings--Congressman Carney