Thursday Open Thread [4.9.15]

Thursday Open Thread [4.9.15]

Roger Simon: "There is a poison pill inside the Republican Party and if its presidential hopefuls keep swallowing it, they are going to choke off their chances for the White House. The religious right has managed to convince some potential candidates that it is extremely powerful. It has convinced the more gullible ones that they must grovel, kowtow and genuflect before it. This is nonsense. As I have written before, the religious right has not gotten the nominee it has wanted since Ronald Reagan. It is a paper tiger. And by taking the poison pill that the religious right offers, the potential candidates risk alienating the rest of the nation." But that's not what the right wing is saying. They are telling this frightened cowards of candidates that they cannot ever hope to win without them. On Monday, Iowa’s Steve Deace was talking to the Family Leader’s Bob Vander Plaats about the necessity of opposing marriage equality. Vander Plaats, who has previously said that “You cannot run away from the heart of God and expect God to bless the country,” told Deace that Republicans are hurting their election chances by not standing firmly enough against gay rights. Vander Plaats insisted of Republicans that “They’ll never win again without this base.” Has the base not been with the GOP in 2008 and 2012? The religious right loved Sarah Palin and they turned out for her, and she and they got destroyed in a massive landslide for Barack Obama. The religious right was with Mitt Romney because they wanted to get rid of Obama in 2012. They all believed, seriously believed, that Romney would win and they were devastated when he did not. I always love this instantly revisionist denial that Republicans and conservatives go through when they lose. I guarantee you that when GOP Nominee Ted Cruz loses 49 states to Hillary, the religious right will say he was not conservative enough and that is why he did not win.
DL Approval Ratings for Matt Denn: Most Popular Statewide Dem?

DL Approval Ratings for Matt Denn: Most Popular Statewide Dem?

54% of our readership strongly approves of Attorney General Matt Denn. Another 15% somewhat approve, bringing his overall approval rating to 69%, which may be the highest this time around statewide for Democrat. 19% disapprove. Last year, Beau Biden proved pretty popular, besting the then Lt. Governor. I wonder if that will change this time around. And yes, I will ask a poll question on the favorability of the former Attorney General and potential Gubernatorial candidate next week.
Hans Reigle to Run for Congress

Hans Reigle to Run for Congress

Who? Hans Reigle, man. The former mayor of Wyoming. The town in Delaware, not the state. Hey, you guys should know who he is since I mentioned him as a Republican possibility back in the Delaware Game of Thrones series. Here is what I said:
Former Kent County GOP Chair Hans Reigle has also been mentioned as a potential candidate, but I’d imagine he’d been only viable if it were a free for all without Copeland.
George “I Hate the Gays” Parrish to run for Insurance Commissioner

George “I Hate the Gays” Parrish to run for Insurance Commissioner

Sussex County's former Clerk of the Peace, George Parrish, is running for state insurance commissioner as a Republican. The last we heard of this theocratic idiot was when he announced that he would perform civil union ceremonies even though he believed they were discriminatory towards heterosexuals somehow. Here is what he said back then:
“As I have reviewed all my legal options, administrative options and political options, I have determined that I took an oath in support of the Constitution and the rule of law should prevail,” said Parish, who lives in Long Neck. “It’s because of that and because if I were to resign, liberal Gov. Jack Markell would have the opportunity to appoint a potential liberal to succeed me and that’s unacceptable to George Parish because Sussex County voters should be the source of deciding and electing the next clerk of the peace of Sussex County." [...] Parish favors a constitutional amendment that would define marriage in Delaware as between a man and a woman. [...] He believes Delaware’s new law is discriminatory against heterosexuals.
So now the 74 year old former Clerk of Peace wants to be Insurance Commissioner. Hey, I want a change at that position too. I just don't want an old bigot who likely opposes Obamacare to be that change.
Wednesday Open Thread [4.8.15]

Wednesday Open Thread [4.8.15]

Pew Research did some ... well research into the political leanings of our country and guess what? We are a center left nation. Dare I say it? A liberal nation. Pew Research found that more demographic groups lean Democratic than Republican, and more Americans lean towards supporting Democrats. We also reveal inside that Rand Paul is not a libertarian, he just plays one on TV. And we learn that "Benjamin Netanyahu" is Hebrew for "George W. Bush."
When a Flip Flop is Good.  And When it is Craven.

When a Flip Flop is Good. And When it is Craven.

Celia Cohen has a piece up on the vote changes between last session's death penalty repeal vote in the Senate and this year's. Celia cites four changes: 1) Senator Richardson replacing Senator Venables, changing nothing since both voted no; 2) Senator Dave McBride's switch from no to yes (which is good); 3) Senator Bob Marshall's switch from yes to no (which is craven when you realize the reason) and 4) Senator Lavelle's change from no to not voting (which is cowardly).
DL Approval Ratings for Markell: Ouch.

DL Approval Ratings for Markell: Ouch.

Education is the third rail of Delaware politics. You touch it, you die. How else do you explain the overwhelmingly negative opinion of Governor Markell's job performance among Delaware Liberal readers. 42% strongly disapprove. Another 28% somewhat disapprove. That's a total of 70% disapproving of your job performance, which only 29% approve. Governor Markell and his aides can take solace in the fact that this is not a scientific poll at all.