February 21, 2017 Open Thread
Christina sells money-draining building (link)
State takes aim at prostitution in massage parlors (link)
Police seek man in 2 NCCo kidnappings, sexual assaults (link)
Health officials shutter original Newark Wayback Burgers restaurant due to violations (link)
Uncertain future for refugees due to arrive in Delaware (link)
Lisa Blunt Rochester is hosting a town hall meeting in her Wilmington District Office. (1105 N Market St, Wilmington, DE 19801) – 4:00 PM on Thu, Feb 23
Kudos to her, but Coons and Carper are really on the front lines of resisting Trump. When are they going to have some accessibility?
The universe is conspiring against me attending Carney’s budget reset meetings. I had a dead car battery this morning, so by the time I got it straightened out I arrived at Drip Cafe in Hockessin for about the last 20 minutes. I had to stand in back and I had my hand up most of the time, but I didn’t get called on. There wasn’t much of substance discussed. Carney deflected a question about pot legalization, saying he was opposed but we are going to have a debate about it.
Later, somebody blurted out “Why CAN’T we raise taxes?” and Carney mumbled something about revenue growth through stronger economic growth and quickly moved on.
I wanted to make my point that Delaware’s economic growth is within historic norms but since the recession all the growth has gone to the top 1%. I wanted to see Carney’s but especially Lavelle’s response to that point. But I didn’t get called on.
We ned that question asked and FOLLOWED UP ON when he skirts it.
On a lighter note I moved to Delaware in 1974, massage parlors were in the news and for the same reason. As for Carney suggest we start the primary kitty and contribute on a regular basis, Ruth Ann Part II will not change and is owned by the same people that own Coons and Carper. Until we primary them they will remain Corporatists, and by now we should all know it.
“We ned that question asked and FOLLOWED UP ON when he skirts it.”
We need more than one person going to the meetings with the intention of asking it.
9:00 a.m. – February 22 – City Hall, Dover, hosted by Senator Brian Bushweller, Representative Sean Lynn and the Downtown Dover Partnership
8:00 a.m. – February 23 – Crossroads Restaurant, Kirkwood Highway, hosted by Senator Jack Walsh, Representative Kim Williams and Councilman Ken Woods
I’m working on being at the 9:00 a.m. – February 22 – City Hall, Dover.
The Dover meeting is a tossup, if you only get one question – give Carney a piece of your mind on taxes, or straighten Bushweller (and Carney) out on minimum wage? I don’t know how many public meetings Bushweller offers, so this might be a great opportunity to confront a wavering Dem on minimum wage.
James Fallows at The Atlantic best sums up what Steve Newton has been telling us for almost two years now:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/02/with-such-a-people-you-can-then-do-what-you-please/517272/
The theme: “Truth” is whatever you can get away with
The state has had the authority to go after the massage parlors ever since we passed comprehensive legislation tackling human trafficking a few years ago:
http://delawareliberal.net//2014/04/20/delaware-to-tackle-human-trafficking/
While I don’t oppose the new statutes, I can’t, for the life of me, understand why the state has dawdled for several years despite having all the power it needs.
BTW, to me, this is the most telling Delaware Way story of the day:
http://www.delawareonline.com/story/money/business/2017/02/20/delaware-city-refinery-seeks-dismissal-ethanol-challenges/98070730/
Serial polluter (and serial liar about the pollution) IPC joining forces with DNREC Secretary David Small to do an end run around the Coastal Zone Act. David Small is a plague upon the environment. I mean, just read the story and marvel at the collusion.
“David Small is a plague upon the environment. I mean, just read the story and marvel at the collusion”.
“read the story”
“marvel at the conclusion”
Then ask yourself why the ridiculous, united, ideological, unjustified refusal by Senate Republicans (despite the feeble, and partisan attempt by Greg Lavelle to defend his parties stupidity in the NJ article) to confirm the gifted, environmentally concerned and knowledgeable Mr. Garvin for DNREC Secretary makes a Hansen victory a top priority for protecting the environment and health of all Delawareans.
Representative John Kowalko
What does everyone make of this?
http://delawarestatenews.net/opinion/commentary-concerns-garvins-dnrec-nomination-wont-go-away/
Lavelle also wrote same or similar piece on the DE Repub site today with the headline “Garvin Uninformed, Unaware, Unwilling”
Lavelle must have been referring to himself. Most partisan ideologues (like Sen. Lavelle) are “uninformed, unaware and unwilling” and obstructionists, beholden to wealthy special interests, ignorant of the facts and the plight of our planet and hypocritical opportunists interested only in their re-election. His disparaging remarks are unfounded and hypocritically misinformed and highlight his “Trumpianesque” failures in truthfulness.
Representative John Kowalko