Game of Thrones, Episode Three: The Understudies for the Role of Understudy

Game of Thrones, Episode Three: The Understudies for the Role of Understudy

From Top to Bottom, Left to Right, New Castle County Council President Chris Bullock (D), 2014 Democratic Treasurer Nominee Sean Barney (D), Senator Brian Pettyjohn (R-19th SD), former Sussex County Register of Wills Greg Fuller, Sr. (D), Senator Bryan Townsend (D-11th SD), Senator Bethany Hall Long (D-10th SD), Senator Ernesto Lopez (R-6th SD); Kent County Levy Court Commissioner Brad Eady (D), Senator Gerald Hocker (R-20th SD), Senator Nicole Poore (D-12th SD), Representative Quinn Johnson (D-8th RD), and Representative Jeff Spiegelman (R-11th RD). The office of Lt. Governor is so unimportant, with no imperative and necessary duties assigned to it, that it can, and will, remain vacant until January 20, 2017. When former Lt. Governor Matt Denn resigned to be sworn in as Attorney General, there was some talk about passing a new law to address the vacancy (to allow the Governor to appoint a replacement or to allow a special election), but that talk has died down, and the likely scenario is that Secretary of State Jeff Bullock will remain next in line to the Governorship until one of the people above is sworn in. Yet, this office is a platform is for future ambition. You don't run for Lt. Governor so you can just preside over the Senate and cast tie breaking votes. You run to advance issues and make a name for yourself, usually for a future race for Governor. Come inside to find out whom I think is running.
Three-Peat Joe?

Three-Peat Joe?

Imagine Joe Biden becoming Vice President for Life? Okay, not for life, but how about a third term?
President’s Day Open Thread [2.16.16]

President’s Day Open Thread [2.16.16]

The conservative Wall Street Journal is less than pleased with the GOP Majority in Congress:
Republicans in Congress are off to a less than flying start after a month in power, dividing their own conference more than Democrats. Take the response to President Obama ’s immigration order, which seems headed for failure if not a more spectacular crack-up... If Homeland Security funding lapses on Feb. 27, the agency will be pushed into a partial shutdown even as the terrorist threat is at the forefront of public attention with the Charlie Hebdo and Islamic State murders. Imagine if the Transportation Security Administration, a unit of DHS, fails to intercept an Islamic State agent en route to Detroit. So Republicans are facing what is likely to be another embarrassing political retreat and more intra-party recriminations. The GOP’s restrictionist wing will blame the leadership for a failure they share responsibility for, and the rest of America will wonder anew about the gang that couldn’t shoot straight... It’s not too soon to say that the fate of the GOP majority is on the line...This is no way to run a Congressional majority, and the only winners of GOP dysfunction will be Mr. Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton.
Democrats deserve to lose every election from now on

Democrats deserve to lose every election from now on

This could be anywhere in the United States of No Tax Increases Ever for any Reason. It happens to be from from Detroit via former Delawarean Chad Livengood.
Detroit — There’s a statewide election less than 80 days away on a plan to boost funding for roads, schools and municipalities, but you wouldn’t have known it at the Michigan Democratic Party’s state convention over the weekend.

Sunday Open Thread [2.15.16]

Today we have a big poll out from NBC Marist on South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Iowa. We have the primary and general election numbers, but I find the issue results most interesting. As for the GOP Primary, it's Bush and Walker as the frontrunners. That is the key takeaway:
“Seven different possible Republican candidates get double-digit support in at least one of the states. But only two candidates — Jeb Bush and Scott Walker — are in double digits in all three states.”

The Weekly Addresses

President Obama lays out his plan to ensure more children graduate from school fully prepared for college and a career in his weekly address: Governor Markell highlights his Pathways to Prosperity Initiative, a statewide program intended to better prepare students for high-demand fields and careers. Here is Senator Brian Bushweller on the contributions towards civil rights of Rueben Salter as the General Assembly commemorates Black History Month.