Archive for June, 2014
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., June 24, 2014
I really didn’t think this would happen, and, I must admit, I’m almost stunned that the General Assembly would choose political expediency over our deteriorating infrastructure. The Governor is not exempt from criticism. Far from it. Jack Markell (a) waited until an election year to play a game of chicken on infrastructure spending; (b) likened the need to continue our ongoing periodic road maintenance program to swallowing bitter medicine rather than pointing out the benefits to our state’s economy from having those great construction jobs; and (c) decided to (pardon the expression) muddy the waters by making this a two-fer with a proposed clean water initiative. Horrible messaging, horrible staff work.
Still, I never expected the Delaware General Assembly, by dint of deliberate inaction, to blow (at least) a $70 million hole in the annual transportation capital budget. $70 million less spent on keeping our roads and bridges drivable in FY 15 than was spent in FY 14. (Well, maybe $60 mill, should the Honorables hike weekend tolls on Rt. 1.) This is blatant dereliction of duty. From the ridiculous (Valerie Longhurst proclaiming that she simply won’t allow a gas tax increase) to the equally-ridiculous (Greengrocer Hocker claiming that, since the D’s can’t pass this by themselves, he’s not going to ‘help’ them). Never mind everybody who drives in this state who will suffer the consequences. I’ve been around a long time. This Profile in Cowardice ranks near the top of the most cynical gestures ever to emerge from Dover. When the roads become pockmarked, you know who to blame. Call them on it. And if you live in one of these idiots’ districts, and you have the chance, vote against them.
While ignoring public safety, the Honorables appear poised to provide another $10 million to help bail out the bad business decisions made by greedy racino millionaires who were literally given licenses to steal by the State. Who could possibly argue that our legislative luminaries have their priorities in order? Looks like we’re headed towards a horrible conclusion to what has generally been a good legislative session.
QOD — Why Can’t Delaware’s Utilities Participate in Consumer Conservation Programs?
I know I’m late to this — it was in the NJ in late May — but I keep thinking about this and wonder WHY exactly this is:
Delmarva is currently banned from providing help with home efficiency upgrades, with the SEU designated as the primary provider in this regard. Rather than reaching 1,500 homes, the SEU could reach 30,000 homes by involving Delmarva Power in the program’s execution, O’Mara said. The bill would also allow utilities to credit some energy efficiency toward their renewable power purchase requirements after a utility achieved a full 15 percent reduction in overall energy usage through efficiency measures.
![Tuesday Daily Elsewhere [6.24.14]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3872/14251600678_6fd3dd41a6_c.jpg "Tuesday Daily Elsewhere [6.24.14]")
Don’t Forget! Come Hang Out With Delaware Liberal
Can we get a head count? Let us know in the comments. Hoping for a good turnout!
Saturday, June 28th
7:00pm
Firestone’s (Wilmington Riverfront)
We’ll meet on the outside patio. In case of rain, we’ll meet in the bar area. There will be a DL sign!
Monday Open Thread [6.23.14]
Hat tip to Kavips for this video. It speaks for itself. It shows that, at one point in his adult political career, when he was Secretary of Defense, he did ask the question that the Los Angeles Times says has kept President Obama out of Syria …. “and then what?”
“Last fall, as President Obama weighed airstrikes against Syria, deliberations followed a clear pattern: The president solicited scores of options, planners returned with possibilities, and, according to people involved, Obama would reply with the same question: And then what?”
“Over the last several days, with Obama mulling involvement in another Middle East conflict, this time in Iraq, that dynamic has held.”
Thank God this nation chose wisely in 2008. Had John McCain won that election, it is quite clear now that his presidency would have been a disastrous repeat, if not multiplication of Bush II.
![Monday Daily Elsewhere [6.23.14]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3880/14434856711_7e91771143_c.jpg "Monday Daily Elsewhere [6.23.14]")
Sunday Open Thread [6.22.2014]
![Sunday Open Thread [6.22.2014]](http://delawareliberal.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/TeaPartyRally-240x180.jpg "Sunday Open Thread [6.22.2014]")
Here’s another great read: Tea Party’s embarrassing irony: How its ideal nation rejects basic American beliefs. This has been pretty plain to most of us who have been watching these folks have their temper tantrum, but:
What I’d argue, rather, is that the Tea Party’s philosophy of government (again, as understood by Salam) has embedded within it an aversion to basic democratic principles that goes far beyond a typical contempt for Washington, politicians and pundits. When Salam writes that Teatopia is founded on a commitment to a “robust federalism” intended to let “different states … offer different visions of the good life” and allow citizens to “vote with their feet” by moving to whichever state best reflects their values, he’s not describing a common aversion to corruption or a distaste for political theater. He’s describing a childish and essentially anti-political belief that a return to an Articles of Confederation-style U.S. order — in which each state is more of a sovereign unto itself than a member of a larger American whole — will produce 50 mini-nations where everyone basically agrees.
![Sunday Daily Elsewhere [6.22.14]](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2940/14434856921_16e844a94f_c.jpg "Sunday Daily Elsewhere [6.22.14]")
![Saturday Daily Elsewhere [6.21.14]](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5562/14251558969_56b17c32b9_o.jpg "Saturday Daily Elsewhere [6.21.14]")
Friday Open Thread [6.20.14]
![Friday Open Thread [6.20.14]](http://www.motherjones.com/files/blog_lat_hed_ask_first.jpg "Friday Open Thread [6.20.14]")
Yes! It’s Friday! And tonight and tomorrow night are your last chances to attend the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival. Tonite’s headliner is Ariel Larrieux and tomorrow’s headliner is Brian Culbertson. Grab your chair and head down to Rodney Square — this is one of the truly fantastic events in Wilmington and an awesome way to spend an evening. Or Saturday afternoon AND evening!
Gridlock, thy name is Wilmington
Ever since the closing of the I-495 bridge (surprisingly not named after some local politician), a quick daily check of traffic through Wilmington on Google Maps reveals more red than an episode of “Game of Thrones.”
Stop Expecting Change from a President and Focus on Where It Really Happens — Congress
This interesting video piece from Ezra Klein begins by looking at how millennials approve of the President. He makes the point that it is OK for people to be disillusioned with him — because the place where change is supposed to happen is Congress. Change that, and the landscape begins to change:
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