A Long Day’s Journey Into Night Into Day Into…?
Hey, don’t look at me. I don’t know what’s gonna happen. Here’s what I know. What happened yesterday was political theatre. One bill would have both restored grants-in-aid cuts and raised taxes. Why? Because the two are intertwined. The BS from Rethuglicans Simpson and Lavelle crying faux crocodile tears over grants-in-aid cuts while refusing to raise the revenue to pay for grants-in-aid until D’s surrendered to its ideological blackmail was exposed. ‘Why, we support grants-in-aid funding, we just don’t want to raise revenue to pay for it’. Following an R walkout in the House, the bill failed by a 24 Y, 1 N, 16 A vote. The one no vote was procedural, as Rep. Longhurst switched from yes to no so that the bill can be reconsidered pending a motion from someone on the prevailing side. I doubt that we will see this bill again. Not with a 3/4 super-majority requirement.
So, the last two days have been the culmination of political theatre on both sides of the aisle. Which doesn’t bode well for a compromise by the Witching Hour.The D’s are saying, ‘We won’t negotiate with terrorists.’ The R’s are saying, ‘You have to negotiate with terrorists if you want the votes because we are the terrorists.’ Giving a sop to the uberwealthy in the form of the repeal of the Estate Tax isn’t enough. Screwing workers by passing a ‘right to work for less’ law is so important that we won’t fund anything until/unless you pay this ransom. Delaware Republicans are despicable. Which makes them marginally worse than Democratic leadership.
Enough on the Topic Du Jour. Hey, in all my years in Dover, I’ve never seen the General Assembly this close to failing to reach a budget deal.
Let’s move on.
Here’s yesterday’s session activity report. The Coastal Zone Permit Conversion Act passed the Senate and heads to the Governor. Two no votes: Ennis and Simpson. One not voting: Lawson (?). I’m less concerned with the bill that passed than I am about the fact that this opens the door a crack, which the Chamber and serial polluters could well try to force open in the intervening years. After all, they wanted a more ‘robust’, to borrow an overused word, bill than what was passed. Look for mischief to start no later than January of 2018. Likely after a summer and fall of propaganda from would-be despoilers.
OK, back to the budget for a minute. The Tax Increase bill did not even come up for a vote in the House, meaning, I think, that there were D’s who would not support the bill as written. There have been some substantive amendments introduced, and you can see them if you scroll down when you click the link.
Wow. Charles Potter’s sop to Draft Kings and Fan Duel did not pass the Senate. 10 Y 11 N, with a 3/5 voting requirement. Mostly on a partisan vote, D’s largely supporting and R’s opposing.
The Senate is scheduled to reconvene at 7 p.m. There is no posted Senate Agenda.
The House is scheduled (operative word, we’ll see what happens) to reconvene at 4 p.m. There are two agendas already posted, with more to come. You will note that the revenue bills are still on the agenda. Whether or when they get worked remains to be seen.
That’s all I got. I ain’t got no more. What are my spies hearing?