Archive for May, 2015
Sunday Daily Delawhere [5.17.15]
Art Gallery in Downtown Rehoboth, by Mike Druckenbrod of PhotostoArt.
Saturday Open Thread [5.16.15]
![Saturday Open Thread [5.16.15]](http://delawareliberal.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Open.Thread-240x180.png "Saturday Open Thread [5.16.15]")
So Jeb Bush now says he would not have invaded Iraq if he knew then what he knows today. Neither would Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, John R. Kasich, Rand Paul, Rick Santorum or Marco Rubio. In fact, Mr. Rubio said, “Not only would I not have been in favor of it, President Bush would not have been in favor of it.”
Which raises an interesting question: Would George W. Bush still have authorized the invasion in 2003 had he known that Iraq did not actually have the unconventional weapons that intelligence agencies said it did?Mr. Rubio’s staff said he based his comment on the fact that Mr. Bush had expressed regret about the false intelligence he relied on and — since the war was predicated on it — it is reasonable to assume he would have decided differently, if he had known differently.
But in fact, while Mr. Bush has said he was sick to learn the intelligence was off base, he has always defended his decision to invade Iraq as the right one, arguing that the world is still better off without Saddam Hussein.
This really presents a logical conundrum for Republicans. Because for the last two years, hell, for the last seven years, every single Republican has criticized President Obama for withdrawing from Iraq, and then they blamed that pullout for the rise of ISIS. But how can that be? If they all now think that the U.S. invasion was wrong, then they have to blame President Bush for the consequences. And the consequences were sectarian violence and terrorism. We liberals said so at the time. And we were right.
The Weekly Addresses
The President highlights the importance of expanding opportunity for all Americans — a principle that has guided his work throughout the past six years.
Governor Markell highlights the need for investment in a modernized infrastructure network to promote long-term economic activity and improve road safety.
Friday Open Thread [5.15.15]
![Friday Open Thread [5.15.15]](http://delawareliberal.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Open.Thread.Gray_-240x180.png "Friday Open Thread [5.15.15]")
Amy Walter on why Hillary needs Obama: “Every presidential election is a response to the current president, even when the current president isn’t seeking re-election. If people don’t like the guy in the White House, it’s almost impossible for a member of his party to be elected to succeed him. Even when voters are happy with their incumbent president, it’s not always a guarantee of success for the party’s nominee. Voters are often looking for a change in style as much as substance (see: Bush v. Gore, 2000). This is why we should spend as much time checking in on President Obama’s job approval ratings as we do the polling data of the potential presidential candidates.”
“The magic number for Obama – and ultimately Hillary’s chances – is somewhere around 47 percent. If Obama’s job approval rating is above that, a Democrat has a decent to a good chance of winning in 2016. Below that number, especially if Obama is in the 45 percent range or below, it will be hard for a Democrat to gain entry to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.”
President Obama’s job approval is currently at 48%.
Carper & Coons Back Together Again
Both voted for fast track yesterday.
Well, that didn’t take long.
Thursday Open Thread [5.14.15]
Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) slammed House Republicans who voted to cut funding for Amtrak a few hours after a deadly train accident in Philadelphia, TPM reports. Said Rendell: “Here, less than 12 hours after seven people died, these SOBs, and that’s all I can call them, these SOBs didn’t even have the decency to table the vote.”
Open letter to Jeb Bush
Dear Governor Bush,
Acknowledging that the invasion of Iraq was a bad idea doesn’t “disrespect the troops.” It respects the truth.
Jason330
Ditch the Seige Mentality, It’s Hurting Wilmington
It isn’t news that cities like Camden, NJ and Philadelphia, PA are reducing their violent crime statistics. I’ve been posting that news along with most of the posts I write here about the current situation in Wilmington. What these cities have done includes re-orienting themselves to data and intelligence-driven forces, able to address crime hot spots and get out in front of crime — rather than simply wait for a phone call to respond to. Heck, even the SEPTA has moved to a data-driven policing model and is clearly bending the curve on their own crime problem.
So what’s wrong with Wilmington?
Wednesday Open Thread [5.13.15]
![Wednesday Open Thread [5.13.15]](http://delawareliberal.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/DL.Open_.Thread.Black_-240x180.png "Wednesday Open Thread [5.13.15]")
GOP Presidential hopefuls were asked who they thought where the greatest living President was. They all answered Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan died in June of 2004, eleven years ago. He is no longer living. Or so we thought. We have been joking about it for years, but maybe they really did reanimate the dead corpse of Ronald Reagan.
The reality is they all have to say Reagan because the living Presidents currently stand at Carter, Bush, Clinton, Bush and Obama. They can’t say Carter, Clinton and Obama. And if they say either Bush, it will look like a plug of Jebbie Bush, or self serving if you are Jebbie Bush.
It will be a close vote, but at least it is getting one…
During the last session of the General Assembly, the Senate passed the repeal of the Death Penalty 11-10, only to have House Judiciary Committee Chair Rebecca Walker bottle up the legislation in her committee, refusing to even consider the legislation table the legislation in committee. This year, repeal again passed the Senate in a close bipartisan vote, 11-9. But this time, at least the bill will get a public hearing may get a vote a vote.
[DD: It seems my memory is faulty. Drew Volturo contacted me and said that the Repeal Bill did get a public hearing last session but it was tabled in committee due to lack of votes to release it.]
The bill’s House sponsor, Rep. Sean Lynn (D-Dover), is not optimistic about the bill’s chances in committee, but he has a Plan B ready.
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