A Small Request for County Councilwoman Lisa Diller

A Small Request for County Councilwoman Lisa Diller

Most of us have seen this grandstanding bit of business from Tom Gordon publicly calling for an apology from you for insisting on requests for information from the County Executive's Office be provided when requested. Ms. Diller's response here has been characterized as yelling -- which it might be, it certainly sounds as though she's frustrated with the lack of communication and the selective release of information to Councilmembers. If you listen to the audio of that meeting, (start around the 10 minute mark) you hear one Councilman talk about the Administration spending money on events and photo ops the County doesn't seem to have. The rest of this discussion is specifically about the refusal of Gordon and the County Attorney to provide a briefing in Executive Committee during that Finance Committee on the Pike Creek appeal.

Wednesday Open Thread [9.25.13]

What a juxtaposition. Here is Calgary Texas Senator Speaker Strom Thurmond Joe McCarthy Ted Cruz's hometown newspaper today. The self promoter named Cruz should be getting the hook just about noon. If he refuses to yield the floor, he will be arrested and dragged out of the chamber by the Sargent at Arms.
AIG… I Just… No

AIG… I Just… No

There simply are no words.
American International Group's chief executive said in an interview published Monday that the insurance company, which was aided by an extensive taxpayer bailout in the aftermath of the 2008 recession, was wrongly targeted for awarding its employees bonuses after the crisis -- comparing the outrage in Washington to lynchings that occurred in the Deep South a half a century ago.

Not Being Registered to Vote Is Malarkey

Literally Malarkey. So says the folks from MotivationalBiden.com (it's a Facebook page) to remind people that today is National Voter Registration Day. Most of the folks who read this are registered to vote, but it is worth it to ask around your family and friends to make sure that folks are signed up to participate in their Government. You can check here for the status of your registration. Click here to go to the State's Dpeartmnt of Elections to sign up.

Tuesday Open Thread [9.24.13]

“The only real way to repeal the healthcare law is to win elections,” – The Wall Street Journal. Indeed. But the GOP has taught us that elections have no consequences, and that an opposition party must oppose a President's entire agenda absolutely. The President can never me allowed to do his job or see his nominees or policies enacted. So, if a miracle happens and a Republican gets elected President in the next few generations, as unlikely as that is, he or she should expect Democrats to treat him or her as Republicans have treated Obama. Meanwhile, Ezra Klein shows us why this financial showdown shutdown default drama in 2013 is different than what occurred in 2011.
More on the Navy Yard Shooter And Our Failed Mental Health System

More on the Navy Yard Shooter And Our Failed Mental Health System

Many insightful issues and questions were included in your comments.  I'll try to deal with them concisely and welcome an idea exchange. I'll address your issues with an abbreviated Q, followed by my response.  Let me explain that my engagement on mental health services derives from more than 10 years as a day to day care giver for a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic son starting in around 1999 when he was 33 and I was close to starting my retirement.  My experience involved very frequent involvement with psychiatrists, counselors, outpatient centers and psychiatric hospitals, primarily in Texas but also Mississippi and Florida.  I have no experience with the Delaware psych community.  I initiated four psychiatric hospital admissions for my son; he has had many more since those four.

Monday Open Thread 9.23.13

Eugene Robinson at the Washington Post writes Obama must not yield on Obamacare, debt ceiling or shutdown:
I happen to believe that Obamacare is a great accomplishment, providing access to medical insurance to millions of Americans who lack it and bringing the nation much closer to universal health care. It’s an imperfect law, to be sure, but it could be made much better with the kind of constructive tinkering that responsible leaders performed on Social Security and Medicare. Even if Obamacare were tremendously flawed, however, it would be wrong to let a bunch of extremist ideologues hold the country hostage in this manner. If Republicans want to repeal the reforms, they should win the Senate and the presidency. If not, they’re welcome to pout and sulk all they want — but not to use extortion to get their way.
I agree. And at this point, I am fully preparing to have both the government shut down and have America default. And the President must too. I am ready for anything that ends the Modern Republican Party once and for all. And by Modern Republican Party I am referring to every Republican who does not agree with former Republican Senator Judd Gregg in his comments inside, and of course everyone who describes themselves as a Tea Partier.